Residents furious over delays in Jalan Kapar flood mitigation project

KLANG: Residents of Taman Seri Sementa, Taman Klang Perdana and Kampung Perepat here will have to endure traffic congestion a while longer due to the delayed Jalan Kapar flood mitigation project.

Construction of a new drainage system near Taman Sungai Kapar Indah commenced on Sept 3 last year and was slated for completion in March. However, the date was later pushed to August.

Yet another delay is on the cards, with completion possible only next year, according to local authorities and contractors.

Sementa assemblyman Noor Najhan Salleh said the delays were caused by issues with the relocation of underground utilities involving Air Selangor, Telekom Malaysia, Tenaga Nasional Bhd and Gas Malaysia.

“The contractor cannot proceed fully until these pipes and utilities are relocated,” he told FMT.

The project’s progress currently stands at about 25%, said Najhan. Although the companies involved have been informed, “there has been no movement” to date.

Project manager Ahmad Izzudin Ismail, of Shezco Engineering, said the utilities were not shown on the original maps, requiring additional adjustments to both the timeline and costs.

He said his team was taking an “extremely cautious” approach to avoid unexpected incidents, particularly involving gas lines. Relocation costs could run into millions of ringgit, he added.

“Once everything is resolved, we will proceed with the project according to procedures and site safety requirements,” he said.

Severe congestion

Previously, road users had two routes out of the residential areas of Taman Seri Sementa, Taman Klang Perdana and Kampung Perepat — either towards Klang or Kapar.

Now, Najhan said the flood mitigation project has forced the closure of the Klang-bound lane, leaving residents with a single exit route.

He said the traffic lights along the route have worsened the situation.

“Motorists are forced to queue at traffic lights to make U-turns at a nearby junction. The green light duration is too short for the growing volume of vehicles,” he said.

Royal Klang City Council assistant engineer Nour Farah Edzah Paujian said the council and the public works department are looking into installing temporary traffic lights to ease the congestion.

The contractor told FMT they aim to complete the installation within the week, and the existing traffic lights on the Kapar route will also be adjusted to improve traffic flow.

Najhan said local government, tourism and new village development committee chairman Ng Suee Lim had failed to answer questions about the project’s status during a recent state assembly sitting.

“The people in Sementa are under pressure. They’re late for work. The boss gets angry.

“They’re late sending their children to school. The teacher gets angry. That’s why the residents are furious,” he said.

المصدر: Free Malaysia Today