He said the figure was based on trends recorded during previous major festive seasons, as well as the Pesta Pulau Pinang, which began on Dec 6 and would run until Jan 10.

“The police are expecting around two million vehicles to travel on major highways nationwide, including those heading to Penang during the peak of the festive season.

“Therefore, we expect an increase in the number of vehicles entering the state. Trends from the 2025 major festive season show that Penang usually receives around 2.2 million vehicles via the first and second Penang bridges,” he told Bernama.

He said the situation was likely to cause congestion on several routes, particularly at the entrances to the two Penang bridges, with traffic expected to surge today and tomorrow following the government’s announcement of a 50% toll discount during the period.

Azizee said heavy traffic is also expected at the Juru and Sungai Dua exits along the North-South Expressway (PLUS), the George Town area, Jalan Air Itam and Jalan Green Lane, and the main routes to Batu Ferringhi.

He said that, in view of the expected traffic, Penang police would remain on standby and deploy additional personnel to strategic hot spots as a precautionary measure.

“The police have also launched Op Lancar to enable a swift response to any incident within 24 hours.

“This special operation has been activated across the state, particularly on highways, city roads and federal roads, to maintain smooth traffic during the Christmas holiday period,” he said.

Azizee also said the state police, in collaboration with the Penang City Council, had stepped up the presence of personnel through regular patrols in tourist hotspots.

He advised the public to plan their trips to avoid rush hour congestion and to stay alert to risks from heavy rains, including falling trees, especially in urban areas such as Jalan Penang.