POTHOLES (Cause and prevention)

Mr Yeo Toon Chia: To ask the Minister for National Development what caused the loosening of road surfaces after a few days of continuous rain, resulting in many unsightly potholes on some of the roads; and what preventive measures his Ministry will take to overcome the problem.

Mr Vasoo: Question No. 10, Sir.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Speaker, Sir, after a prolonged period of continuous rain, road pavements are soaked with water. This weakens the pavements which become susceptible to damage under heavy traffic loads.

PWD carries out temporary patching and repair as best as possible in between rains and follow up with permanent repairs as soon as the road surface is sufficiently dry.

To minimize the problem, PWD also carries out preventive maintenance on those sections of the road surfaces which have aged and are known to be damage-prone at the end of each year before the rainy season.