Govt aims to reopen closed roads in Klang Valley soon to ease traffic congestion, says Zahid

• After chairing a Cabinet Committee meeting to address traffic jams on Tuesday (May 2), Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the press that local authorities in the Klang Valley have been instructed to identify all road closures due to roadworks and construction, and the information will be discussed in a technical committee meeting to be held in two weeks' time.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 2): Roads closed due to construction work will be reopened soon to reduce traffic congestion in the Klang Valley, according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

After chairing a Cabinet Committee meeting to address traffic jams on Tuesday (May 2), Zahid told the press that local authorities in the Klang Valley have been instructed to identify all road closures due to roadworks and construction, and the information will be discussed in a technical committee meeting to be held in two weeks' time.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, who will be chairing the technical committee, added that the cabinet committee wants local authorities to immediately reopen the roads, regardless of whether roadworks and construction have been completed or have yet to begin.

Meanwhile, ongoing construction and roadworks must be completed within an undisclosed "short timeframe", otherwise permits for these jobs must be reapplied for, accompanied by a mitigation plan.

“Some roads have been closed for two to three years but have yet to reopen,” he added.

While Loke named reopening roads as the Cabinet committee’s current priority, he also identified rerouting traffic as well as increased implementation of contra-flow traffic as measures to ease traffic congestion in the Klang Valley.

“On rerouting traffic, for example, a suggestion is for Jalan Sultan Ismail — from the Concorde Hotel to Sungai Wang Plaza — cars have to go through Pavilion but by right, they can go straight to Sungai Wang Plaza,” Loke said, adding that the committee has asked DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall) to look at its potential effects and if there are no negatives it will be implemented in two weeks.

“Apart from that, we want to open more contra-flow, like what is being done in Kajang, Jalan Cheras, and Putrajaya,” he added.

Other measures also touched on were promoting increased usage of public transport via promotional campaigns, the addition of new lines and bus lanes, and improved connectivity.

Zahid assured that measures will be implemented without additional government spending.