Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusof announced that the Vehicle-Free Zone at Banda Hilir in Melaka will continue to be implemented but with some adjustments, particularly in traffic dispersal. He mentioned that the addition of contra lanes might be introduced to facilitate easier access to the surrounding areas.
Yusof emphasized that the Vehicle-Free Zone at Banda Hilir is still at the trial stage and feedback from the public is being taken into consideration to enhance its implementation. He also confirmed that the Vehicle-Free Zone will be a permanent feature on weekends, from Friday to Sunday, to enhance the tourist area and benefit tourists and tourism operators.
He assured that any negative impact from the implementation of the Vehicle-Free Zone would be temporary and the benefits would be evident to the people and traders in the vicinity in a few months’ time. Yusof cited the Jonker Walk Vehicle-Free Zone as an example, stating that despite initial opposition, people are now requesting for it to be maintained due to its economic benefits.
The Vehicle-Free Zone at Banda Hilir involves a 54-hour road closure, starting from 6pm on Friday and ending at midnight on Sunday (Jan 14). The road closure and traffic diversion begins from the Jalan Laksamana Intersection with Jalan Banda Kaba through Jalan Banda Kaba, Lorong Chan Koon Cheng, and Jalan Chan Koon Cheng until Hotel Equatorial.
However, food traders and souvenir sellers at Medan Samudera have raised concerns about the Vehicle-Free Zone and have requested the state government to review the initiative. They specifically suggested shortening the road-closure hours to just Saturdays, as was done previously, to minimize the impact on their businesses. – Bernama
