The Department of Works has announced that a bypass around the town of Raub on Central Spine Road (CSR) will be open to traffic on June 25. The bypass is part of an overall route under CSR Package 5B. It is also part of the route in CSR Package 5A that passes through the interchange exit near Mara University of Technology (UiTM) in Raub.
Deputy Minister of Works Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said the bypass route, which is expected to ease traffic congestion during the upcoming Hari Raya Aidiladha festival, has been completed ahead of schedule.
“The construction work is expected to be completed by the end of this year, but I have instructed the public works department to ask the contractor to finish it before Aidiladha. This is because more than 500,000 vehicles will pass through the route, especially residents from Kelantan coming to Hari Raya,” he said.
He added that the 17km stretch of highway is expected to save users 40 minutes of travel time, as they will no longer need to pass through Raub as part of their journey. “Although the highway is not completed yet, we hope the opening of this exit will benefit users, especially those traveling to the East Coast,” he said.
Abdul Rahman said that another section near the highway will be opened in September, near the exit of the Raub industrial zone intersection, Bernama report.
Construction of CSR, or Interstate 43, from Kuala Krai, Kelantan to Kuala Pilah in Negeri Sembilan will include a route with a total length of approximately 340 km. Developed at a cost of RM7.3 billion, it will be completed in its entirety by 2026. The project includes six packages, four of which cover more than 200 kilometers in Pahang.
