IPOH: A dedicated 24-hour CCTV monitoring station may soon be established near the Menora Tunnel to maintain continuous oversight of slope stability following a recent landslide along the North-South Expressway.
Perak Infrastructure, Energy, Water, and Public Transport Committee Chairman Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said the proposed facility is among several immediate measures under review to bolster safety along the critical transport corridor.
"If approved, we will establish a control station at a strategic location to monitor CCTV feeds along this entire stretch of slope," Mohammad Nizar told reporters during a joint site inspection on Monday (Sept 15).
He was accompanied by PLUS Malaysia Berhad Operations Senior General Manager Mohd Yusuf Abdul Aziz and Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) Northern Region Director Muhd Yusrizan Mohd Yusof.
The move follows a landslide at KM263.6 on Saturday, triggered by relentless downpours. Unusually heavy rainfall recorded between 65mm and 66mm—well above the 40mm normal threshold—loosened topsoil 35 metres up the embankment, causing a large tree to collapse onto the highway margin. No casualties or vehicle damage were reported.
Despite the incident, Mohammad Nizar assured the public that the route remains entirely safe for travel.
"I want to assure highway users, particularly those travelling through the tunnel area, that this highway is safe. PLUS and LLM are actively ensuring user safety around the clock," he said.
Immediate mitigation works are already underway. Workers have cordoned off the affected zone and applied heavy-duty plastic tarpaulins over exposed earth to prevent further rainwater infiltration. Technical teams are also deploying aerial drones to map surrounding terrain and identify hidden water channels that could further undermine soil integrity.
For the longer term, state authorities are considering structural slope reinforcement, including wire mesh netting and rock stabilisation.
Mohammad Nizar added that technical data from the Public Works Department's (JKR) satellite monitoring systems—currently utilised along the landslide-prone Simpang Pulai–Blue Valley stretch—could be shared with PLUS and LLM for real-time risk detection.
Mohd Yusuf confirmed that while specific slope-displacement sensors are not currently installed at the Menora Tunnel, real-time rainfall intensity sensors are active. These devices automatically trigger emergency patrol teams whenever precipitation hits dangerous thresholds.
