THAIPUSAM: ROAD CLOSURES, DIVERSIONS IN IPOH 

IPOH, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- There will be road closures and diversions in stages involving 10 roads around the city in conjunction with the Thaipusam celebration scheduled to take place from Jan 31 to Feb 3.

Ipoh District Police Chief ACP Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said the road closures would be carried out over four days to facilitate the chariot procession from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Sungai Pari, Buntong to Sri Subramaniar Temple, Gunung Cheroh, as well as the return procession along the same route.

“The chariot procession from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Sungai Pari, Buntong to Sri Subramaniar Temple, Gunung Cheroh will begin on Jan 31 (Saturday) at 6.00 am and is expected to conclude at noon.

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“The return procession from Sri Subramaniar Temple, Gunung Cheroh to Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Sungai Pari, Buntong will begin on Feb 3 (Monday) at 5.00 pm and is expected to conclude at noon on Feb 4 (Tuesday),” he said in a statement today.

Among the roads to be closed in stages are the route from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple via Jalan Sungai Pari to Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Tun Perak–Jalan Lahat, Jalan Lahat–Jalan Perhentian, Jalan Lahat–Jalan Sultan Yusof, Jalan Sultan Yusof–Jalan Sultan Iskandar and Jalan Sultan Idris Shah–Jalan Laksamana traffic light junction.

Other roads to be closed include Jalan Sultan Idris Shah–Jalan Raja Musa Aziz traffic light junction, Jalan Dato’ Onn Jaafar–Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, Jalan Raja Musa Aziz–Jalan Dato’ Ahmad Said and Jalan Raja Musa Aziz–Sultan Iskandar Roundabout.

In this regard, Abang Zainal Abidin said the public is advised to use eight alternative routes, namely Jalan Kuala Kangsar, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Jalan Sultan Nazrin Shah, Jalan Raja Dihilir, Jalan C.M. Yusof, Jalan Yang Kalsom and Jalan Sultan Abdul Jalil to avoid congestion.

“An estimated 500,000 people are expected to attend Thaipusam this year, and the police advise all road users around Ipoh city to plan their journeys and use alternative routes to avoid and reduce congestion,” he said.

He also reminded the public to always comply with instructions from traffic police on duty at road closure and diversion points throughout the celebration.

-- BERNAMA