Work on West Ipoh Span Expressway to commence this year, says Perak MB

• Earlier, the media reported that the federal government is speeding up the construction of West Ipoh Span Expressway as a measure to reduce congestion on the North-South Expressway, particularly involving the Menora Tunnel route.

IPOH (July 22): The construction of the 60km West Ipoh Span Expressway (WISE) connecting Gopeng to Kuala Kangsar will begin this year.

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad (pictured) said the construction of WISE will begin after the signing the concession agreement is completed.

"I was informed that the Prime Minister's Department's Public Private Partnership Unit and WISE are looking for a suitable date for the concession agreement signing ceremony.

"After finishing (signing the agreement), construction can begin," Saarani aid at a press conference after the Prosperous Perak Plan 2030 Orang Asli Community Engagement Council and Batin Symposium here on Monday.

On Dec 14 last year, Saarani said WISE was approved by the Cabinet, and the project will be developed by a concessionaire through the Private Financing Initiative.

Earlier, the media reported that the federal government is speeding up the construction of WISE as a measure to reduce congestion on the North-South Expressway (PLUS), particularly involving the Menora Tunnel route.

The 60km WISE highway as an alternative to the Menora Tunnel route on PLUS will be equipped with three two-way lanes, with the route starting in Gopeng through Batu Gajah, Siputeh, Manong, Tronoh, Beko, Seri Iskandar and then Kuala Kangsar.

In another development, Saarani said the state government had made an application to the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development for the proposed construction of housing for the second generation of the Orang Asli community in the state.

Saarani said the matter was proposed by the state government through Perak Rural Development, Plantation, Agriculture and Food Industry Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun during an Orang Asli Consultation Council meeting in Kuala Lumpur last week.

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