KUALA LUMPUR – The Works Ministry plans to upgrade the Johor stretch of the North-South Expressway (NSE) from Yong Peng Utara to Senai Utara to six lanes from the current four in stages.
Its minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the project was necessary to reduce traffic congestion along the stretch, especially on weekends and during festive seasons.
He said the proposed project, estimated to cost RM525 million, has been included in the Third Rolling Plan of the 12th Malaysia Plan.
However, Nanta said its implementation is subject to allocations under Budget 2023, which will be tabled this Friday.
“If the project is implemented using government funds, there will be no increase in toll rates for highway users,” he said in reply to a question from Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong (Ayer Hitam-BN) about the status of the project during the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.
Nanta said the 195km highway expansion project from Ayer Keroh, Melaka, to Johor Baru, Johor, is estimated to cost RM7.5 billion.
Meanwhile, Nanta said the Public Works Department always ensures potholes are always repaired according to the prescribed method and does not discriminate in approving allocations to any state for that purpose.
He said the department also uses the latest technology in carrying out road maintenance work to ensure federal roads are safe for users.
According to him, allocations for the maintenance of federal roads for each state are given annually based on the list of damaged roads prepared by PWD and subject to approval by the Finance Ministry.
Nanta said this in response to a question from Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar-PN) on the ministry’s efforts to tackle potholes and whether equal allocations are given to each state to resolve the problem. – Bernama, February 22, 2023
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