Works Ministry studying new highway link between Putrajaya and Pahang

KUALA LUMPUR: A feasibility study to build a new highway between Putrajaya and Pahang is underway, says Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

He said the study aims to find an alternative route between the east coast and Kuala Lumpur to reduce heavy traffic congestion on the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK).

“The primary goal is to find solutions to complete the connectivity of the Central Spine Road (Lingkaran Tengah Utama, LTU) and improve the connectivity of the KLK.

“Among the factors being considered now include the use of land, with the road possibly passing through permanent forest reserves; its environmental, traffic, social and economic impact.

“The study is expected to be completed by Aug 12 next year after it began earlier this year in August,” he said in parliament today.

Ahmad said the study had been allocated RM2.5mil and was already approved under the 4th Rolling Plan (RP4) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

He added that if the study proves fruitful, the ministry intends to build the highway under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract, which grants a concession to a private company to finance, build, and operate a project for a period of 20 to 30 years before then being handed back to the public entity that granted the concession.

Ahmad was responding to a question from Wan Razali Wan Nor (PN-Kuantan) on whether alternative routes would be built from Kuala Lumpur to the east coast.

In the interim, KLK concessionaire AFA Prime Berhad will be widening the highway from January 2025.