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KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed RM2.3 billion, 13.5km Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (KiDEx), which will run from the New Klang Valley Expressway’s Damansara toll plaza to the Bukit Jalil Highway near Kinrara, may affect about 3,784 residential and commercial lots of land within the Petaling district.
According to a list issued by the Federal Land and Minerals Office on July 31, land lots from Bandar Damansara to Pekan Sungai Penchala could potentially be affected. Most of the lots are in Bandar Petaling Jaya and Bandar Petaling Jaya Selatan.
In the cover letter of the list, signed by Federal Land and Minerals Office director Lt Col Che Roslan Che Daud, landowners were informed that survey officers had the authority to enter their premises to carry out land measurement works.
“Compensation will be paid for any damages incurred while the works are being carried out,” the letter said.
Copies of the list of potentially affected areas are still available for residents’ viewing at the MBPJ lobby and at Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran’s office in Jalan Othman.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Rishyakaran said he was most concerned about the lack of details provided and consultation with the public about the project as well as alerting the residents in the affected areas to the possibility of their land being acquired.
He was also concerned about the height and width of the highway — reported to be elevated for most of its 13.5 km length, which may require the acquisition of its surrounding land. “The part of the highway that will go through Section 12 in Petaling Jaya passes an LRT track, so the highway needs to go over that track and station. That is very high and it is going to dwarf all the single- and double-storey houses below,” said Rishyakaran.
“To be fair, maybe one and a half years ago, conceptually, these things may not have occurred to them (KiDEx concessionaire). But by this stage, they should have a rough idea of how all this should work and it is time to come and talk to us. Don’t finalise everything first,” he added.
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| The proposed 13.5km KiDEx is meant to ease congestion on Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong |
There has been little updates on the proposed highway, and it is not known what the final routing layout of the planned highway will be, or if the current logistical concerns have been factored into the project, said Rishyakaran.
“If they have already identified the potential areas for surveyors to visit, it means they must have finalised at least 80% of the plan already. I am disappointed that the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) did not consult with MBPJ or with the public. I hope after today (yesterday), they will come out and at least brief the public on the finalised route and which land plots will be affected,” he added.
The KiDEx highway concession falls to a consortium comprising Zabima Engineering and Construction Sdn Bhd and rail track solutions provider Emrail Sdn Bhd. Zabima and Emrail were awarded the concession last year after coming out ahead of a few companies that included Bina Puri Holdings Bhd, Mudajaya Group Bhd and PLUS Expressways Bhd.
Commenting on whether the highway was necessary, Rishyakaran said he would like to see the traffic reports and the justification for the highway, before making a judgement call.
“To me, if you are going to spend that amount of money, you may as well just build more LRT stations and add to the existing track in the interest of improving public transport instead of adding to the number of highways we already have,” he said.
This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on September 19, 2013.
