KL-Karak expansion on track for early 2029 completion, says Nanta

Works Minister Alexander Nanta announced on Monday that the RM2.1 billion Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway expansion project, which includes a new 999-meter tunnel through Genting Sempah, is set to be completed ahead of its original 2030 target. The project involves widening 45.3km of the expressway in Selangor and Pahang, a strategic move due to the traffic on the route having more than tripled from 41,000 vehicles a day in 1997 to around 135,000 currently.

Speaking after the groundbreaking ceremony for the third Genting Sempah tunnel and the launch of the KLK widening project, Nanta highlighted the improved safety and convenience the project will bring to motorists traveling between the Klang Valley and the east coast. The project, which began in March of this year, is expected to be completed by March 8, 2030.

Nanta emphasized the use of the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) for constructing the new tunnel, which will operate alongside the existing westbound tunnel opened in 1978 and the eastbound tunnel opened in 1996. This additional tunnel will increase capacity, particularly during peak periods and festive seasons, at the Selangor-Pahang border.

Nanta also discussed the broader road safety considerations, mentioning the government's ongoing discussions about reducing road accidents and fatalities, with about 18 deaths recorded daily, according to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research.