Festive rush: S. Lakschman, 23, busy preparing muruku for Deepavali at his stall near Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur. About 2.67 million vehicles are expected to hit the highways daily from Oct 16 in conjunction with the Deepavali holidays. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: About 2.67 million vehicles are expected to hit the highways daily from Oct 16 in conjunction with the Deepavali holidays and toll discounts announced under Budget 2026.
The Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) said yesterday that traffic heading northbound, southbound, and eastbound of the peninsula is expected to surge in the days leading up to and after Deepavali, which falls on Oct 20.
MHA welcomed the government’s announcement of a 50% toll discount for Class 1 vehicles (and Class 2 on the Penang Bridge) from 12.01am on Oct 18 to 11.59pm on Oct 19 at all toll plazas, except at the Sultan Iskandar Building and Tanjung Kupang plazas.
It said the discount was expected to encourage more travel during the festive period.
Traffic volume is projected to peak at 2.67 million vehicles per day, with 2.2 million using highways under the PLUS Group.
The Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway, East Coast Expressway Phases 1 and 2, and the West Coast Expressway are expected to see 170,000, 90,000, 40,000, and 170,000 vehicles respectively.
To manage the surge, MHA has directed all highway concessionaires to ensure smooth and safe travel, with no lane closures except for emergencies between Oct 17 and 23. Smart lane routes will also be activated at 29 locations along the PLUS Highway.
Highway operators have also been told to ensure toll systems run smoothly and provide extra parking spaces, mobile toilets, maintain cleanliness, and ensure a steady water supply at rest areas.
MHA urged motorists to plan their journeys using the MyPLUS-TTA app for the North-South Expressway and the travel time advisory for the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway and East Coast Expressway Phase 1.
Drivers should also ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and their Touch ‘n Go cards or e-wallets have sufficient balance.
“Users travelling on sections with smart lane activation may use the emergency lane as an alternative during congestion and are advised to follow traffic signboards,” MHA said in a statement, adding that 472 motorcycle shelters have also been provided along highways.
Real-time traffic updates are available via MHA’s official social media pages on Facebook, X (@llmtrafik), TikTok (@llmtrafik), or through the Traffic Management Centre at 1-800-88-7752.
Live CCTV feeds can be viewed at http://www.llm.gov.my.
