PETALING JAYA: The RM2.1bil Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway widening project will increase the route’s capacity between the Klang Valley and the East Coast, strengthening regional connectivity and supporting economic growth, says Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
He said the project is crucial to ensure infrastructure development kept pace with demand.
“Traffic volume on this route has surged to more than 135,000 vehicles per day, compared with about 41,000 vehicles per day when the route was upgraded in 1997,” Nanta said at the groundbreaking ceremony at the Third Eastbound Tunnel Portal Site in Genting Sempah.
“This more than three-fold increase proves the need to increase the route’s capacity to accommodate future traffic growth and ensure this strategic corridor continues to support national development.”
The 45.3km widening project, stretching from KM19.2 near the Gombak Toll Plaza to KM64.5 at the Mempaga Interchange in Bentong, will expand the highway from two and three lanes to three and four lanes in each direction.
A new 999m Genting Sempah Third Tunnel, built using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method, will complement the two existing tunnels opened in 1978 and 1996.
Nanta said the project, fully funded by concessionaire AFA Group and targeted for completion by 2030, is a strategic investment to ensure the transport network remained resilient and efficient.
“We want AOT – Ahead of Time, not EOT – Extension of Time.
“Because we are not just building roads and tunnels. We are building facilities that will be used by millions of people for years to come,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) director-general Mohd Hadzmir Yusoff said the project is a strategic step towards ensuring the country’s highway network could meet growing mobility needs while supporting sustainable economic growth.
“LLM will continue to play its role as a regulatory agency in ensuring that this project is implemented in accordance with the safety, quality and governance standards that have been set.
“Our priority is to ensure that each phase of the project meets technical specifications, prioritises user safety and is completed according to plan for the benefit of the people and the country.”
AFA Group chairman Tan Sri Dr Azmil Khalid said the group is committed to ensuring every phase of construction met the agreed safety, quality and schedule requirements.
“AFA Group is very pleased to be part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the country’s infrastructure. We are committed to working closely with the Works Ministry, LLM and all stakeholders to ensure that this project is completed successfully and provides long-term benefits to users of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway,” Azmil said.
He said close cooperation between the ministry, LLM and AFA Group would be key to ensuring the project was implemented efficiently, safely and to a high standard.
