THE Selangor government has confirmed that the Petaling Jaya Traffic Dispersal Link (PJD Link) highway project is back on the drawing board, after it was called off last May,
State Public Infrastructure and Facilities, Agricultural Modernisation and Agro-Based Industry Committee chairman Izham Hashim, however, said whether the project would be given the go-ahead was in the hands of the Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES).
Izham said the federal administration had asked for the project to be reviewed after the concessionaire made improvements to at least five areas along the proposed highway.
"There were improvements and changes made to five or six locations along the proposed highway.
"The mitigations made to the proposed highway look good (on paper).
"MTES is looking into the matter and will decide if the changes and improvements made to the proposed highway meet all the requirements," he told the Selangor State Legislative Assembly today.
He was responding to an additional question from Rajiv Rishyakaran (PH-Bukit Gasing), who asked for details on the PJD Link highway construction project.
Izham said the state government had told the PJD Link highway construction project to carry out a fresh social impact assessment (SIA) involving the proposed locations where changes and improvements were proposed.
"This is the condition that we have imposed on the concessionaire of the highway project.
"They must engage and get feedback from the affected people residing in the areas where changes and improvements were made for the proposed construction of the highway through the SIA.
"We want to know if the people accept the changes and improvements made," he told the chamber.
Izham told the House that the state government had rejected and wanted the construction of the project to be reviewed following the high number of objections from residents, which was reflected in the SIA.
The 14.9km PJD Link would connect Bandar Utama to Bukit Jalil, as a means to disperse traffic and reduce traffic congestion in Petaling Jaya.
According to PJD Link’s website, the highway will have 11 interchanges that connect with other highways such as the Federal Highway, SPRINT, New Pantai Expressway, and Kesas Highway. - July 4, 2024.