Monday July 19, 2010
Residents against proposed LRT alignment
By YIP YOKE TENG
teng@thestar.com.my
Residents from Putra Heights, Subang Alam and Kampung Sri Aman held a peaceful demonstration yesterday against the proposed alignment of the LRT extension from the Kelana Jaya line, saying that the two stations were too close for comfort.
They also urged the Selangor Government to review the Department of Railway guidelines to safeguard the interests of the people and to conform with the standard of developed nations.
The residents said Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana) had told them that the alignment would be 7m from their homes and the distance would comply with the Department of Railways’ guideline stipulating that the track must be at least 6m away.
“We feel an LRT running just 7m from our houses is dangerous as no allowance has been given for a buffer zone to make allowances for any accidents during construction and operations,” said Putra Heights Section 2/3 Residents Association president Prem Kaur.
“If the LRT is going to run 7m from our homes, the noise level will be unbearable. Prasarana in a recent meeting stated that they will put up sound barriers but that can bring the noise level down by two to three decibles only,” she said.
Speaking out: Residents from Putra Heights, Subang Alam and Kampung Sri Aman during the peaceful demonstration against the proposed LRT Kelana Jaya line extension. Prem, who heads the task force against the proposed LRT alignment, said the line would be a deviation from the Selangor Structural Plan 2020 (SSP 2020), which did not include this part of Putra Heights.
She added that the residents were upset that Prasarana did not consider nor offer any alternative route despite the discussions that took place in the past 15 months.
Also present at the demonstration was Sri Muda assemblyman Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei, who questioned the reasons given by Prasarana to turn down the route proposed by the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA).
“Prasarana had said that the proposed alternative route would be 2.1km longer and cost them an extra RM500mil, but they should show an independent audit to prove it,” he said.
He said it would be more efficient for the LRT to take MBSA’s proposed alignment that would serve three times more passengers, as shown by an independent consultant in the ridership and social impact studies, than to run through the low-density areas proposed by Prasarana.
Kampung Sri Aman action committee secretary Rosman Rahmad said Prasarana’s proposed alignment would require acquisition of houses in the village.
“The alignment will take up 14 lots now occupied by about 100 houses. Just imagine how many people will have to move out.
“We hope the mentri besar and the state government will hear us,” he said.
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