New Highway Bypassing Menora Tunnel In The Works To Reduce Accidents, Says Perak Government
The project will be fully funded through a private finance initiative.
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The Perak state government had received and approved the proposal for a new highway along North-South Expressway beginning from Gopeng to Kuala Kangsar – which will bypass the Menora Tunnel – in its bid to reduce accidents at the hotspot.
Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said that the proposed 64-kilometre project, built under a private finance initiative (PFI), had also received the Cabinet’s approval.
Speaking on the new proposed highway, Saarani said that drivers will save time by choosing the new route, despite it being longer than the current path, explaining that the new highway does not go over the hills.
“In one year, the company has succeeded in meeting the Public Works Department and the Public Private Partnership Unit (UKAS) for further discussions.
“The company has received approval from the government since April and would take two years to obtain a financier and for land acquisition,” Saarani was quoted as saying by Bernama.
He added that it is hoped that the more favourable driving conditions on the new highway – with no uphill or steep zone – would help reduce accidents and ease traffic congestion.
The Menora Tunnel has been long been infamous for its tragic accidents, including the recent tragedy that took away the lives of five Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah students, after the car they were travelling in burst into flames in an accident involving two trailers nearby the tunnel.
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