Putrajaya has verified that developer PJD Link Holdings has submitted plans to construct an elevated highway in Selangor similar to the cancelled Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex).
Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said that the proposal for the highway known as PJD Link was received by the Prime Minister’s Department and Public Private Partnership Unit (Ukas).
But he pointed out that the plan is still in the initial stages. ”Until now, there has been no agreement on the matter,” said Seri Fadillah, explaining that private firms typically submit proposals via a tender process conducted by Ukas.
Datuk Ahmad Hamzah, Chairman of the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM), also confirmed that PJD Link Holdings has laid out plans to build a highway with the same route as Kidex, which was strongly objected by residents of Petaling Jaya.
“In short, this is a new proposal by the company whereby its suggested alignment route is the alignment for Kidex, but has been modified a little bit to fulfil technical needs and perhaps a little people-friendly.”
However, it has raised fears that the controversial plan to build Kidex highway would proceed in the form of PJD Link, a 34.3km four-lane expressway starting from the intersection of the North Klang Valley Expressway and end at the Bukit Jalil interchange.
In February 2015, Selangor’s Chief Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali axed Kidex because the developer failed to present documents to back the project, such as assessments on its impact on the traffic, residents and environment. It also did not divulge the planned toll rates and full concession agreement.
Meanwhile, Seri Fadillah revealed that the federal government’s concession agreement for Kidex has been extended until end-2016 even though the Selangor’s state government had axed the plan to build the highway.
Originally, the developer of Kidex was required to meet the preconditions of the concession by November 2014. But this was subsequently extended to February 2015, then to November 2015, and now Putrajaya has granted another extension.
“The government, for now, has agreed to approve an extension for the duration of the condition precedent until November 2016, based on Kidex Sdn Bhd’s application,” he said, without elaborating on why it was extended.
Image: Sourced from Free Malaysia Today
Mangalesri Chandrasekaran, Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email mangales@propertyguru.com.my
