By Danial Dzulkifly
SHAH ALAM, July 10 — The East Klang Valley Expressway’s (EKVE) development is 89.13 per cent complete and is slated to be fully operational by December 31, 2025.
State executive councillor for public infrastructure and agriculture Izham Hisham acknowledged that while the project was scheduled to be completed earlier, it was delayed due to unforeseen issues, which have since been resolved.
"The project was already supposed to be completed, but internal issues and financial constraints involving the developers have delayed it," he said during the State Legislative Assembly session today.
[caption id="attachment_363300" align="alignright" width="392"]
State executive councillor for public infrastructure and agriculture Izham Hisham responds to queries during the Selangor State Legislative Assembly session at the State Secretariat Building in Shah Alam, on July 10, 2024. — Picture by HAFIZ OTHMAN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
Izham was responding to a supplementar question from Dusun Tua state assemblyman Datuk Johan Abdul Aziz regarding repeated delays in the project’s progress and the actions taken by the state government to reprimand the developers to ensure the proper maintenance of roads and bridges affected by the construction process.
He added that the Kajang Municipal Council has already taken action against the EKVE’s developers for causing mud floods within Taman Desa Budiman and the Twin Palm Tunnel at Bandar Sungai Long.
“A RM250,000 fine was issued under Section 71 of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 for failing to control the construction site and causing the floods.
"Based on the repair order notice, EKVE has undertaken remedial actions by providing silt traps at the construction site to control water flow,” Izham said.
On maintaining roads and bridges along the EKVE’s alignment, he said this falls under the Public Works Department's purview.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali then raised concerns about a purported new alignment for EKVE, which he claimed that parties had deemed unsafe, and urged the state’s intervention to ensure road user safety.
In response, the councillor said the EKVE alignment is under the Malaysian Highway Authority’s jurisdiction but provided guarantees that this was done in accordance with best practices.
"I am confident that the highway alignment is done using the right methods and does not contravene any rules and regulations," Izham said.
