GOMBAK, Aug 20 — The RM2.1 billion Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK) expansion project, including a new 999-metre tunnel through Genting Sempah, is expected to be completed ahead of its 2030 target, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said today.

Nanta said the project, which involves widening 45.3km of the expressway in Selangor and Pahang, was strategically important as traffic along the route had more than tripled from 41,000 vehicles a day in 1997 to about 135,000 currently.

Speaking after the groundbreaking ceremony for the third Genting Sempah tunnel and launch of the KLK widening project here, he said the project was expected to improve safety and convenience for motorists travelling between the Klang Valley and the east coast.

“The project is 45.3km long and the tunnel is 999m long. We have been working on this project for a few months, we have been working on this project for four years and it will be ready by 2030 but we have been given a guarantee that it will be ready by 2029.

“We are very proud of that because it is ahead of time. We know how important this project is for us to deal with the problems and also the safety and convenience of our road users in the East-West,” he said.

The project will widen the KLK from two lanes to three lanes in both directions along a 45.3km stretch between Plaza Tol Gombak at KM19.2 and the Mempaga Interchange in Bentong at KM64.5.

Physical works began on March 9 this year following approval of the commencement date by the Malaysian Highway Authority, with full completion targeted by March 8, 2030.

The new tunnel will be constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) and will operate alongside the existing westbound tunnel, which opened in 1978, and the eastbound tunnel, which opened in 1996.

Nanta said the additional tunnel would increase capacity at the Selangor-Pahang border, particularly during peak periods and festive seasons.

He said the choice of construction technology was based on the physical conditions of the site rather than simply relying on conventional tunnelling methods.

“People usually use boring machines but here, we use the most suitable machines according to the physical condition of the place. Congratulations to this group,” he said.

Nanta also highlighted the broader road safety considerations behind the project, saying the government was looking at ways to reduce road deaths through improvements to road infrastructure.

He said the Cabinet committee on road safety had recently discussed strategies to reduce accidents and fatalities, noting that the country recorded about 18 road deaths a day according to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros).

“Road safety is not just in this area. Recently, we had a meeting of the Cabinet Committee which is specifically for road safety, promoted by the Prime Minister. A lot has been discussed about how we want to reduce road accidents and also reduce the loss of lives.

“The government is serious in reducing road accidents and also reducing the loss of lives, so a lot of strategies have been discussed and agreed,” he said.

Nanta said ageing road infrastructure was among the factors that needed to be addressed, particularly as the country could not simply increase vehicle weight limits without considering whether existing roads were strong enough to cope.

He also said the Works Ministry would have to make greater use of digital technology and artificial intelligence to improve road construction and maintenance efficiency without relying solely on increased financial allocations.

“We need financial resources and technology but we cannot get financial resources without a limit because our economy also needs to take into account how much we can allocate.

“Therefore, we must be more innovative, more resourceful, using technology, digital or AI. That is why the industry players, road users and those who build our roads should adapt digital technology so that we don’t need to spend too much but we are more efficient,” he said.

Asked whether the RM2.1 billion project would result in higher toll rates, Nanta said it was too early to provide details, while indicating that any decision would not be immediate.

The KLK serves as a major transport corridor linking the Klang Valley with the east coast, supporting logistics, trade, tourism and other economic activities between the two regions.