Issues will worsen earlier than it will get higher. That’s a line from Tan Sri Azmil Khalili Khalid, chairman of the AFA Group. Previously often called Anih Berhad, AFA is the concessionaire for the KL-Karak Freeway and Lebuhraya Pantai Timur (LPT) 1. He stated that in a media briefing at the moment on the Karak Freeway widening venture, asking for endurance from motorists for the following 4 years.
In case you haven’t already heard, the KL-Karak Freeway and LPT1, which connects Klang Valley to the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, shall be widened all the best way from Gombak to Bentong. The RM2.1 billion venture shall be beginning in January 2025 and the venture will take 48 months, or 4 years to finish. That’s the ‘ache’ Azmil was referring to, however from what we realized at the moment, it will likely be well worth the wait.
Over time, visitors has been getting heavier on the Karak/LPT1, and the congestion throughout weekends, and particularly throughout festivals, is dangerous, to place it mildly. The necessity for an enlargement is there, and AFA Group is spearheading this venture with out utilizing public funds. Will there be a rise in toll fares? Azmil says he hopes so, however in the end it’s within the fingers of the federal government.
So as to add a lane all the best way from Gombak to Bentong is a large endeavor when you think about the terrain concerned – up and down the mountain vary, with a tunnel too. In a nutshell, the present twin three-lanes from the Gombak toll plaza to Genting Sempah shall be upgraded to twin four-lanes, which implies 4 lanes on either side, equal to a 25% capability enhance for every path.
At current, it’s two lanes on either side from Genting Sempah to the Bentong toll plaza – this shall be upgraded to a few. There received’t be additional lanes for the Genting Sempah tunnel, which first half (Kuantan-KL) was accomplished in 1978 and second half (KL-Kuantan) opened in 1996. As an alternative, this venture will embody a model new tunnel, constructed 30 metres to the left of at the moment’s eastbound tunnel.
We had been advised that with three tunnels, two can be utilized for one explicit path when it’s tremendous busy, say eastbound in the course of the balik kampung exodus. When Hari Raya holidays come to an finish, two tunnels can be utilized for westbound visitors. With an ‘additional participant’ within the combine, upkeep works may also be executed extra simply with none disruption.
Talking of disruptions, AFA Group’s senior VP Vijayaraj Govindarajoo says that there shall be no lane closures all through this venture, which is stunning contemplating the challenges concerned. As an alternative, they may make do with the emergency lane, however the group’s engineering chief acknowledged that when they put up cones/boundaries, motorists will routinely decelerate and there’s certain to be extra congestion.
Apart from an additional lane from Gombak to Bentong and the brand new tunnel, AFA Group says that the improved Karak/LPT1 will characteristic enhancements similar to a three-metre broad shoulder a.ok.a. emergency lane. Apparently, such a large shoulder is rare for hilly highways, and this may enhance security.
One other side that can enhance security for customers is that the Karak/LPT1 shall be absolutely lighted up – at the moment, solely the primary half of the stretch has lights.
These are the enhancements that we are able to see. These that aren’t seen, however no much less very important, embody slope stabilisation works, extending present vehicular field culverts as required, upgrading drainage methods to forestall flooding, relocating and reinstalling street furnishings, and visitors administration in the course of the development section. By the best way, there will even be no land acquisition for this venture, as the additional lane will nonetheless be inside the freeway’s boundaries.
In case you’re somebody who travels between the Klang Valley and East Coast usually, you’ll absolutely welcome this improve and recognise that it’s an enormous endeavor when it comes to engineering and geography. Within the meantime, let’s bersusah-susah dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian in 2029.
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