Ensure Developers Build
Interchanges, Local Authorities Told
bernama.com 22/3/2005
Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu indicates the location of the
interchanges. Looking on is LITRAK director Datuk Azmi Mat Nor. Pix: Azman
Firdaus
PETALING JAYA, March 22 (Bernama) -- The Works Ministry Tuesday asked
local authorities not to approve projects near highways before developers
build or pay the cost of building interchanges linking their projects to
the highways.
Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said local authorities must ensure
developers build the interchanges first or pay the cost before their
projects began, especially housing schemes that would have over 2,000
residential units.
"If not, the Works Ministry will not authorise the developers to build
access roads to the highways," he told reporters after visiting six
interchange projects along the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP), Tuesday.
Samy Vellu made the request after 17 developers in Bandar Sunway and
Kelana Jaya did not contribute to the construction of the elevated Kelana
Jaya interchange at the LDP although they had agreed to do so.
The interchange was built by the highway operator, Lingkaran Trans Kota
Sdn Bhd, from its own money without compensation in the form of an hike in
toll charges or extension in the highway concession.
Samy Vellu said the requirement to build interchanges first had been made
mandatory for any development near the North-South Expressway.
He said developers along the expressway had to build the interchange or
allocate between RM35 to RM65 million for the purpose before the relevant
authorities would sanction their projects.
"We'll allow them to have the type of interchanges they want. The
Malaysian Highway Authority will monitor the projects," he said.
On the possibility of developers breaking their projects into smaller
packages to dodge the requirement, Samy Vellu said: "Developers can do a
lot of things, it's up to the local authorities to monitor.
"If you provide an avenue to cheat, they will cheat. If you are strict,
they will not cheat," he said.
Many developers had taken advantage of the situation by diverting traffic
from existing roads into highways without building interchanges to reduce
congestion in their areas and that had created bottlenecks, he added.
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