PETALING JAYA: Debate over the PJD Link has been reignited after it was reported that the company behind the project was working towards meeting the conditions of a concession agreement with the federal government.
Works minister Alexander Nanta Linggi has said the PJD Link, which was approved in principle by the Cabinet in 2017 and the Selangor government in 2020, is necessary based on the Highway Network Development Plan.
The concessionaire, PJD Link Sdn Bhd, is in the midst of engaging Petaling Jaya residents, though some have already made their stand clear on the project.
They have staged protests and warned that it could lead to incumbents losing their votes in the coming state elections.
FMT takes a closer look at the PJD Link.
What is PJD Link?
It is a 25.4km dispersal highway connecting Damansara to Kinrara, Puchong. It is aimed at easing congestion along several connected highways, namely Federal, Bukit Jalil, LDP, NPE, Kesas and Sprint.
It will involve connections to more than 15 areas along its route including residential neighbourhoods, such as Damansara, Bandar Utama, PJ New & Old Town, PJ Selatan (PJS), Taman Medan, Taman Kinrara and Bandar Kinrara.
Its 11 interchanges and 21 ramps will allow users access to public transport services including six proposed bus stops and five railway lines, namely LRT3, MRT1, LRT Kelana Jaya, KTM Komuter and LRT Sri Petaling.
Some, like veteran transport analyst V Ravindran, said the PJD Link and the reintroduction of minibuses could help solve first and last-mile connectivity problems in PJ, which is home to over 600,000 people.
Motorists are expected to utilise the PJD Link to cut down almost 70% of travel time, allowing road users from Damansara to enter from the Sprint Expressway to reach the Bukit Jalil Highway (12 mins) and Federal Highway (5 mins), and vice versa.
Residents’ concerns
Some PJ residents are against the project, saying it will not help resolve traffic problems and instead, will lead to noise and environmental pollution. They also say it will encourage more PJ residents to use private transport, leading to more congestion.
On April 1, residents and pressure groups Say No To PJD Link and Stakeholders cum Residents Against PJD Link (ScRAP) Highway staged a protest to oppose the project.
There are also concerns that the project will require residents to relocate as construction work on the highway is expected to involve land acquisition.
However, the number of homes that will be affected can only be determined once PJD Link’s alignment is confirmed.
What’s next?
The Selangor government has yet to give its approval for work on the project to begin.
It is still waiting for the environmental impact assessment (EIA), traffic impact assessment (TIA) and social impact assessment (SIA) reports to be submitted.
Pakatan Harapan MPs Lee Chean Chung (Petaling Jaya) and Wong Chen (Subang) have said they will ensure due process is followed for the project’s approval.
Meanwhile, the concessionaire is carrying out surveys and holding focus group discussions with residents.