KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — Some two million Hindu devotees and visitors are expected to throng Batu Caves for the annual Thaipusam celebration from January 15 to February 15.
Gombak district police chief ACP Zainal Mohamed Mohamed said traffic congestion around Batu Caves is expected to start from today (February 2) to February 6.
He said the chariot procession would leave the temple in Jalan Tun HS Lee at around 10pm on Friday and arrive at Batu Caves at around 3pm on Saturday.
Seven roads around the Batu Caves temple will be closed from midnight tonight (February 3) until February 8.
The seven roads are the Kampung Melayu Batu Caves traffic light junction, the Middle Ring Road 2 turn off to the Batu Caves Temple and the traffic light junction in front of the Shell Batu Caves petrol station,” he said at a press conference here today.
“Other roads are the Jalan SBC 8/Jalan Lama Batu Caves junction, the Middle Ring Road 2 turnoff from Sri Gombak headed to the Jalan Perusahaan Batu Caves, and Jalan Perusahaan toward the Batu Caves Temple.
Zainal Mohamed said the alternative routes proposed by the police will be updated through the Gombak IPD Facebook page.
“Road users are advised to use alternative roads and public transport to avoid traffic jams,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sentul district police chief ACP Beh Eng Lai, in a statement today, said traffic on several roads will be diverted on Saturday from 4am to 10am for the chariot procession.
The roads include Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah (both ways) from the Sentul IPD traffic light intersection to the Jalan Perhentian traffic light intersection, and the same stretch between 6pm and midnight on February 6.
Beh advised road users to plan their travel and choose alternative routes to avoid being caught in traffic congestion.
In Ipoh, police said there will be traffic diversions and road closures in several areas here from 6pm tomorrow until February 7 in conjunction with the celebration.
Ipoh district police chief ACP Yahaya Hassan said this includes the period when Kavadi bearers go from the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Jalan Sungai Pari, Buntong to the Sri Subramaniar temple in Gunung Cheroh, Jalan Raja Musa Aziz through the city on Sunday from 6am to midnight.
The first phase of road closures and traffic diversions will take place from 6pm tomorrow until 12.30am on Saturday during the chariot procession from the Sri Maha Mariamman temple to the Sri Subramaniar temple.
“The final phase is the during the chariot’s return journey to the Sri Maha Mariamman temple from 4.30pm on January 6 until 10.30am on Tuesday,” he said.
Among the routes involved in the chariot procession are Jalan Sungai Pari, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Lahat, Jalan Sultan Yusoff, Jalan Sultan Iskandar, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, Jalan Laxamana, Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, Jalan Raja Ekram, Jalan Dato’ Onn Jaafar, Jalan Dato’ Ahmad Said, the hospital roundabout and Jalan Perhentian. — Bernama
