April 29, 208 By YIP YOKE TENG
Behind the hoardings at the busy Masjid Jamek LRT station, construction of the Pedestrian Plaza is under way to integrate the two LRT lines and shield commuters from the weather. However, the multi-million ringgit project might have failed to meet these objectives and may even become a danger to users.
THE Pedestrian Plaza at the Masjid Jamek LRT station may be one of the most anticipated projects to rectify a major problem in the city's public transport system but the RM5mil development seems to have become another public display of Kuala Lumpur City Hall's shoddy monitoring of projects.
City Hall Urban Transportation Department director Dr Leong Siew Mun said the plaza was aimed at providing further integration with the Ampang/Sri Petaling-line LRT station and to protect commuters from the weather.
It is supposed to fix what has been described as “a shame of the city” – that the two LRT lines at the interchange station are located away from each other and commuters are exposed to the weather when travelling from one side to the other.
Work started on the project early last year. In an earlier public announcement, it was said that the main entrance to the Kelana Jaya-line station would be closed from Oct 22 last year to Jan 23 this year for the construction. However, the entrance is still closed till today.
Dr Leong conceded that there was a “slight delay due to several issues arising from day one of the project, namely site constraints, inclement weather and technical problems.”
As the structure looks to be nearing completion, StarMetro investigated the site and was shocked to find that those sweet promises are not forthcoming.
First of all, the roof – in a fancy multi-layered design – does not shield commuters from rain or shine.
Amazingly, the ticketing counters and the ticket-vending machines are located outdoors.
Secondly, the Kelana Jaya line and Ampang/Sri Petaling line stations are supposed to be linked by the same platform so that commuters can go between the two sides with ease.
However, a wide gap now runs between the two and the stretch had better be fenced up as the gap is so deep that anyone falling into it would suffer severe injuries.
If the gap is still there after construction is completed, commuters will then have to use the same old routes in Jalan Melayu or Jalan Melaka to get to the other station.
If that is the case, what is the point of spending RM5mil on the Pedestrian Plaza?
Public safety is another major concern. Railings are low with horizontal bars that will enable children to easily climb over.
The floor will also be slippery whenever it rains since the roof does not cover the structure.
Earlier, LRT users had pointed out that the gutters of the roof contain stagnant water and could be a mosquito-breeding spot.
When informed of such concerns, City Hall assured the public that they would constantly monitor the site.
The high ceiling of the project would also make maintenance like changing bulbs and cleaning difficult.
These structures not only show that public funds have not been wisely spent, but also give an indication of the future problems commuters may face when the building is finally ready to be used.
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