In conjunction with Thaipusam celebrations, there are several roads in Batu Caves and Penang George Town (two main celebration temples in Malaysia) will be closed to accommodate the large crowd and religious processions. This would help many to plan their journey accordingly to avoid the heavy jam.
Road Closures in Batu Caves
Seven roads leading to Batu Caves temple will be closed in a few stages from 11th February (Sunday) to 14th February (Friday). The closures are important to ensure the smooth flow of traffic as thousands and millions of devotees and visitors gather for the annual Hindu festival.
The affected Roads are:
- Kampung Melayu Batu Caves Traffic Light Junction
- Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) turnoff to the Batu Caves Temple
- Jalan Perusahaan heading towards Batu Caves Temple
- MRR2 Turnoff from Sri Gombak heading to Susur Perusahaan
- Jalan Sri Batu Caves 8/Jalan Batu Caves Lama Junction
- Sri Batu Caves Traffic Light Junction
- Batu Caves Bypass Heading Towards The Main Gate Of The Batu Caves Temple
According to Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan, road closure announcements will be shown on electronic billboards at Batu Caves roundabout and shared on the Gombak Police Headquarters Facebook page.
Addition to that 1500 police personnel will be stationed around Batu Caves to ensure public safety. Visitors driving to Batu Caves are urged to park in designated areas and ensure their vehicles are locked. The use of drones in the temple area is strictly prohibited unless prior approval is obtained from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
Road Closures in George Town, Penang
In Penang, several major roads in George Town will be closed from 10AM on 10th February to 12th February midnight to make way for the annual gold and silver chariot processions.
The Chariot Schedule Is As Follows:
- The Golden Chariot will leave Lebuh Queen at 6AM on 10th February, travelling to Jalan Air Terjun and will return at 6PM on 12th February.
- The Silver Chariot will depart from Lebuh Penang at 7AM on 10th February heading to Jalan Air Terjun and will return at 7PM on 12th February.
The affected routes includes:
- Jalan Gottlieb
- Lorong Waterfall
- Kebun Bunga
- Jalan Wright
- Jalan Burma
- Jalan Brown
- Jalan DS Ramanathan
- Jalan Brother James
- Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman
- Jalan Park
- Jalan Utama
- Jalan Brook
- Waterfall Lane (Kg Waterfall)
Victoria Road will be completely closed from midnight on 10th February while Lebuh Campbell will be closed on 12th February at midnight, during the movements of motorbikes.
To ensure the safety of devotees and visitors, 1405 police officers and personnel will be stationed throughout the festival. Authorities have advised the public to refrain from playing firecrackers, consuming alcohol or wearing excessive jewelry that might attract criminals. Similar to Batu Caves the use of drones during the celebration is prohibited unless approved by CAAM
More than 1.5 million Hindu devotees and tourists are expected to gather in Penang for Thaipusam on 11th February.
Traffic and Safety Advisory:
Motorist and Visitors are urged to:
- Use public transport where possible to reduce congestion
- Plan their journey in advance
- Park only at the designated areas to avoid jam
- Follow traffic diversion and instruction from on duty police officers.
The police in both areas assured that security measures are at the highest level and there have been no threats reported ahead of the Thaipusam celebrations.
For the latest updates on road closure and traffic conditions, the public is advised to check official announcements from local authorities and police channels.
Happy Thaipusam To Everyone! Stay Safe and Plan Your Journey Wisely!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.
