WCE Completion Delayed to 2024
by AFIQ AZIZ / pic by BERNAMA 03-November-2020
THE West Coast Expressway (WCE) line in Selangor would only be completed by 2024, said the State Infrastructure and Public Facilities, Agricultural Modernisation and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Ir Izham Hashim.
Izham said the completion date of the interstate 223km controlled-access highway, which runs along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia from Selangor to Perak, will be deferred again due to land acquisition issues.
The route, which is partially opened for public use, was previously scheduled to give road users full access by end-2022.
“However, the project is slightly delayed due to land acquisition issues in Banting apart from a new route in package seven at Tanjong Karang following another land acquisition problem which has not been resolved,” he told the Selangor State Assembly yesterday.
Izham was replying to a supplementary question by Lau Weng San (Pakatan Harapan-Banting) who asked about the status of the WCE construction, especially in Kuala Langat.
He added that apart from the land acquisition, the implementation of the Movement Control Order in March had also contributed to the delay of the project. For the record, the construction of the expressway, which commenced in 2014, was initially slated for completion last year.
However, there were delays stemming from land acquisition proceedings and route realignment plans by the federal government.
In January, WCE Holdings Bhd CEO Datuk Neoh Soon Hiong was reported as saying that the expressway connecting Banting in Selangor to Taiping in Perak can be completed by the end of 2022. He said this is attributed to the land acquisition progress which was 95% completed.
Neoh said Section 4 of the WCE was targeted to be opened by the first half of this year, followed by Sections 1, 2, 3 and 6 next year, and lastly, Sections 7 and 11 in 2022.
Section 4 is an upgrade of Federal Road in Selangor, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Works Ministry, while Section 11 is the last highway construction package in Perak connecting Beruas to Taiping South.
Meanwhile, Izham said the state government, the Malaysian Highway Authority and the Public Works Department will monitor the progress of the highway development, ensuring its implementation is according to stipulated targets.