KL-Karak Highway Will Be Widened With Additional Lanes This Year

To accommodate the growing traffic volume this year, a portion of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak highway (KLK) will be widened and additional lanes added. The construction of a new tunnel was another step taken to address the increasing number of vehicles on the KLK. Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad, Deputy Works Minister, said Anih Bhd, the concessionaire for KLK, was finalising the design for the RM2.1 billion project before physical work began in the third quarter of this year.

According to him, the Works Ministry has approved Anih Bhd's proposal to widen KLK, and the project is expected to be completed in 2026. The road between the Gombak toll plaza and the Mempaga intersection (Central Spine Road) in Bentong will be widened for 45.3 kilometres.
"Under Section One, the stretch between the Gombak toll plaza and Bukit Tinggi will be widened from three lanes to four lanes on both sides, while Section Two will expand the two lanes between Bukit Tinggi and the Bentong toll plaza to three lanes." "The job scope will include the construction of a new two-lane tunnel at Genting Sempah, adjacent to the east-bound tunnel (from Pahang)." "New street lights will also be installed along the highway," he said.

Rahman stated that the project would address the issue of traffic congestion, particularly during the holiday season, public holidays, and weekends. "The ministry is aware of the complaints of people who have to spend long hours on the road in order to return to their respective hometowns during the holiday season." Severe traffic congestion is common during the peak hours preceding festivals, public holidays, and weekends. "The government sees the road widening works as an effort to provide comfort to the people in the future in order to provide convenience to the public, particularly motorists who frequently use the stretch," he said.