KUALA LUMPUR: The Pajam-Mantin stretch (Package 2A) of the new Kajang-Seremban highway (Lekas) which opened for traffic yesterday will be toll-free until Jan 30, Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed said. 

Zin said the 11.08km stretch from the Pajam elevated interchange to the Mantin elevated interchange opened for all vehicles at noon yesterday.

After midnight on Jan 31, Kajang-Seremban Sdn Bhd, the concessionaire for the highway will charge RM1.70 for cars, RM2.50 for lorries with two axles, RM3.30 for lorries with three or more axles, 80 sen for taxis and 60 sen for buses. 

Toll charges from Semenyih will be RM3.50 for cars, RM5.30 for lorries with two axles, RM7 for lorries with three or more axles, RM1.80 for taxis and RM1.30 for buses.

From Kajang Selatan, cars will have to pay RM4, lorries with two axles RM6, lorries with three or more axles RM8, taxis RM2 and buses RM1.50.

Zin said the Pajam-Mantin stretch, which was completed five months ahead of schedule, would have three lanes with a speed limit of 110kph.

Traversing generally in a southerly direction, the 44.3km Lekas, a RM1.75 billion highway, commences immediately south of the Kajang ring road clover leaf interchange and ends at Paroi in Seremban.

Package 1 of the Kajang-Seremban Highway to Pajam was opened in August.

Zin said that the highway that runs through Bangi, Semenyih, Beranang, Pajam, Mantin and Nilai before ending at Paroi would be completed in 2010. It has two rest and recreation areas that were opened on Dec 1.

Meanwhile, Zin said the enforcement date for all Gred 7 (G7) contractors to obtain ISO 9001:2000 certification for systematic and quality management had been extended from the Jan 1 deadline to July 1.

The extension was made following appeals from contractors but he added that there would be no more extension after July 1.