The Malaysian highway authority (LLM) says it expects the volume of traffic to increase significantly on three major expressways during the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive period, projecting that up to 2.3 million vehicles will be travelling daily from today until May 7 on the North-South Expressway (NSE), Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway and East Coast Expressway (ECE).

In a statement, LLM said it has instructed the highway concessionaires to take several steps to minimise the impact of the expected increase in traffic. The measures include stopping all construction and maintenance work along these routes until May 7, as indicated by works minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi yesterday.

They have also been asked to issue a travel time advisory (TTA) to help motorists plan their journey, and display traffic information and reminders to top up Touch n’ Go cards or e-Wallet on electronic billboards.

The highway concessionaires have also been requested to open additional toll lanes in areas identified as having high traffic, and also to station staff at toll plazas to assist motorists, especially during the four-day toll-free period on April 19-21 and April 24.

The statutory body also said that it will ensure concessionaires provide enough Emergency Response Team (ERT) members to deal with any incident, and added that there will be additional facilities in parking lots and portable toilets in several R&R areas along the NSE and ECE during the period.

If you’re driving back home for Raya, make sure to check the respective TTAs for these routes and plan your journey accordingly. As always, be patient and drive safe.