MELAKA: A doctor’s snapshot of an ambulance stuck in heavy traffic along Jalan Banda Kaba in Bandar Hilir here highlights severe congestion caused by the recent contra-flow traffic system changes under the weekend car-free zone.
Dr S. Selva Kumaran, who operates a clinic along the affected stretch, said the congestion gets worse when traffic from Jalan Chan Koon Cheng and two feeder roads off Jalan Laksamana converges into Lorong Bukit Cina, leading to bottlenecks on the weekends.
“The decision to reverse the direction of traffic has caused confusion among motorists and led to significant congestion,” he said in an interview on Sunday (June 8).
He noted that vehicles heading to Bandar Hilir or Ujong Pasir here are frequently caught in gridlock whenever the traffic lights at Bukit Cina and Jalan Temenggong turn red.
“At times, the traffic is so dense that emergency vehicles cannot pass.
"The ambulance caught in the jam on Sunday was evidence of a deeper issue faced by residents and road users,” he added.
Dr Selva Kumaran claimed that local businesses, including a nearby funeral parlour, have been badly affected by the weekend road closures.
He added that many e-hailing drivers are now refusing to enter the area to pick up or drop off passengers, including his patients.
“Tourists are finding it difficult to access the heritage enclave, which is hurting both local sales and visitor experience,” he said
He has also raised the matter with local leaders and hopes the state government will address the concerns of the business community and residents.
Dr Selva Kumaran appealed to the authorities to consider reinstating the earlier traffic arrangement under the initial phase of the contra-flow scheme, when vehicles were allowed to enter Bandar Hilir via Jalan Chan Koon Cheng and Jalan Laksamana, before further changes were implemented.
The contra-flow system was announced last year by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh as part of the weekend car-free zone initiative.
The initiative was initially introduced by Ab Rauf in August 2023 at Bandar Hilir here, where a 2.3km route from the Stadthuys building to the Taming Sari Tower was completely closed to lower vehicle emissions.
The move was also aimed at protecting heritage buildings and easing traffic congestion, especially on weekends, and initially was limited to Saturdays from 6pm to midnight.
However, by the end of 2024, the state government expanded the closures to a 54-hour weekend window, from 6pm on Fridays until midnight on Sundays.
