Residents protesting the placement of toll plazas at the SUKE entrance, saying it is unfair to them. — SHAARI CHE MAT/The Star
RESIDENTS of Alam Damai in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, are unhappy that several toll plazas have been erected at the ramps entering the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Highway (SUKE) in the township.
They want the highway concessionaire to abolish the toll here.
They said the open-toll system on the highway, which required users to pay a fixed amount upon entering the toll plaza, should only be installed at certain locations along the highway but not at the entrances.
Currently, there are four toll booths located at the entrances of the SUKE highway in Alam Damai.
There are also three main toll plazas located on the main roads of SUKE Highway, namely in Ampang, Bukit Teratai and Alam Damai.
Damai Jasa resident Izzuddin Shah Othman, 61, said users should only be charged based on the distance travelled, not upon entering it.
“For example, motorists from Sri Petaling travelling to Alam Damai need to pay only at the Alam Damai toll after travelling 5.7km. But the present situation means people from Alam Damai will need to pay toll charges 100m after turning onto the SUKE highway from Jalan Alam Damai.
“Erecting toll plazas at the ramp leading up to the highway means road users have to pay before actually using the highway,” he said.
The Alam Damai main toll plaza is located at the highest level of the double-deck highway.
Underneath the Alam Damai toll plaza, another toll plaza was erected at the entrance to SUKE highway off Jalan Alam Damai.
Izzuddin said if toll plazas were allowed to be built at highway entrances, it would set a precedent for concessionaires to do the same for other highways.
Berjiwa Murni Residents Association deputy president Abel Appadurai said the placement of toll plazas at the entrance of SUKE was unfair to residents.
“We endured noise pollution, traffic congestion and poor road maintenance during the construction of the highway for five years.
“Now, we are being charged extra at the entrance.”
Abel said the residents initially wrote to Bandar Tun Razak MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in July.
“We also brought the matter up to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary and Bandar Tun Razak PKR division chief Azman Abidin during their site visit at the highway on Sept 26.”
Thirteen residents representing their respective neighbourhoods in Alam Damai spoke to StarMetro about their opposition to the toll plazas.
SUKE highway concessionaire Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas) has not responded on the matter at press time.
