KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) has finally granted opponents of the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) access to detailed traffic and environmental impact assessment reports, after pressure group Say No to Kidex (SNTK)’s meet with the Works Ministry over a month ago.

The lobby group, which has repeatedly demanded public access to impact studies commissioned by highway developer Kidex Sdn Bhd, said it received a letter on Wednesday from the federal highway authority informing them of the matter.

Malay Mail Online understands that representatives of SNTK have been told to collect a copy of the documents from the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) tomorrow morning.

“Basically, it is four documents: the traffic impact assessment (TIA), additional TIA, preliminary environmental impact assessment (PEIA) and an “early plan” layout of the Kidex alignment route,” SNTK committee member Mak Khuin Weng told Malay Mail Online when contacted.

Mak said that this was stated in an official letter from the LLM to SNTK, following a meeting with Works Minister Datuk Fadhillah Yusof in June.

“We are not happy because LLM took their own sweet time to furnish these documents, and we hope that there will be no issue with MBPJ tomorrow,” Mak added.

SNTK will hold a press conference tomorrow at 10am to explain the latest developments on the Kidex highway, as well as to highlight the group’s progress on talks with the Works Ministry.

The impact assessments on traffic and the environment are among the crucial documents needed for the local authority to approve an amendment to Petaling Jaya’s local city plan to incorporate the highway.

Last month, the MBPJ revealed that the Kidex project had been rejected on three occasions as the developer had failed to provide sufficient details, including its final Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) report.

Under Section 18 of the Town Country and Planning Act (TCPA), construction cannot start unless the highway fits with MBPJ’s plans.

Kidex is currently not incorporated into the council’s blueprint for Petaling Jaya city.

Despite the growing opposition, mounting evidence in the form of replies in Parliament and the state legislative assembly indicate that the project is set to proceed.

Among the areas that could be affected by the project are Tropicana Mall, SS2 Mall, Rothman’s traffic lights, Section 14, Amcorp Mall, Hilton Petaling Jaya, Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital, Jalan Templer roundabout, Taman Datuk Harun, Taman Medan Baru and Bandar Kinrara.

Construction of the multi-billion-ringgit highway could begin as soon as next year and be completed by 2018.