Deepavali Holiday Traffic Builds Across Malaysian Highways as PLUS Prepares for 2.24 Million Vehicles Daily

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — Heavy holiday traffic was reported along several major Malaysian highways on Saturday as motorists travelled ahead of Deepavali, which falls on Sunday, November 8.

Sections of the North–South Expressway experienced slow-moving traffic in both directions, with northbound routes particularly affected. Accidents and vehicle breakdowns also caused disruption at several locations.

The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) reported increasing traffic volumes during the morning as travellers headed towards destinations in northern, southern and eastern Peninsular Malaysia.

Congestion reported on northbound routes

According to traffic updates at approximately 10am, vehicles were moving slowly along sections of the North–South Expressway from Sungai Buloh towards Tanjong Malim.

Other affected stretches included Trolak to Tapah, Gopeng to Simpang Pulai, Alor Pongsu to Bandar Baharu, and Permatang Pauh towards the Sungai Dua Toll Plaza.

PLUS had reported growing congestion between Permatang Pauh and Sungai Dua shortly after midnight.

The traffic buildup affected key routes used by motorists travelling from the Klang Valley towards Perak, Penang and Kedah.

Southern and eastbound routes also affected

Southbound traffic was also moving slowly along selected stretches, including Southville City towards Bandar Ainsdale and Seremban towards Senawang.

Congestion was reported between Sungai Besi and central Kuala Lumpur, including roads leading towards Bukit Jalil.

Meanwhile, eastbound traffic on the Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway was congested between the Gombak Toll Plaza and Lentang.

However, the LLM said the East Coast Expressway's first and second phases remained relatively smooth during the morning reporting period.

These conditions highlight that congestion was concentrated along certain routes rather than affecting every major highway equally.

Accidents add to travel delays

The increased number of vehicles coincided with several road incidents.

At approximately 7.31am, an accident was reported at KM420.7 northbound between Bukit Beruntung and Bukit Tagar, obstructing the emergency lane.

Additional incidents and vehicle breakdowns were reported elsewhere on the PLUS network.

Motorists should check updated traffic information before assuming that earlier obstructions remain in place, as accidents may be cleared and lanes reopened.

PLUS expects heavy holiday demand

In an official statement released on November 5, PLUS Malaysia said daily traffic across its network could reach 2.24 million vehicles during peak travel days for Deepavali and the school holidays from November 7 to 10.

That projection represents an increase of approximately 17 per cent from the usual daily average of 1.92 million vehicles.

The highway operator has prepared Smart Lane arrangements at 32 selected locations to improve traffic flow when conditions require additional capacity.

However, motorists may only enter designated Smart Lanes when they are officially activated. Ordinary emergency lanes must remain available for emergency use.

Half-price toll offer ends November 7

The Malaysian government is providing a 50 per cent toll discount for eligible vehicles on November 6 and 7.

The offer covers Class 1 private vehicles at participating toll plazas and eligible Class 2 vehicles using the Penang Bridge.

The Sultan Iskandar Building and Tanjung Kupang toll plazas at the Malaysia–Singapore border are excluded.

The discount ends at 11.59pm on November 7, before the Deepavali holiday itself.

Drivers are reminded to maintain sufficient Touch 'n Go card or electronic payment balance because the scheme provides half-price tolls rather than free passage.

Motorists advised to plan journeys

PLUS recommends using its MyPLUS Travel Time Advisory service through the PLUS app to identify suggested departure periods.

Motorists can also monitor the latest updates from PLUS and the LLM before travelling.

Drivers should observe speed limits, maintain adequate following distances and avoid driving when fatigued.

The traffic conditions described in this report reflect information released during the morning of November 7 and should not be treated as a live assessment of every highway throughout the day.

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