Residents Want Tunnel Closed

Just wanted to share a few stories related to Residents' Association around the country. We will be setting our very own RA soon ... and we look forward to getting all your support.

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Residents want tunnel closed

The Star, by Jade Chan, 14th October 2008


Residents from Taman Megah Mas and Taman Mayang held a peaceful demonstration last weekend to protest against the use of the Taman Megah Mas tunnel as an access road to the Ara Damansara and Lembah Subang areas.

The rally, organised by the Taman Megah Mas Residents Association (RA) and Taman Mayang Rukun Tetangga (RT), was aimed at highlighting the residents’ concerns about the traffic congestion and pollution they have to endure to the authorities.

The tunnel was originally built as a temporary route for garbage trucks to access Lembah Subang, which was previously designated as a waste disposal area.

However, the Taman Megah Mas tunnel and nearby FAS tunnel are used as alternative access roads linking the eastern side of Petaling Jaya, like Ara Damansara, to the western side like Kelana Jaya and the LDP.


Stating their needs: Taman Megah Mas and Taman Mayang residents protesting against the use of the Taman Megah Mas tunnel as an acces s road to the Ara Damansar a and Lembah Subang areas.

An initial traffic study revealed that an average of 30,000 to 40,000 vehicles cross the Taman Megah Mas tunnel per day and 2,000 vehicles at peak hour.

“The motorists will clog the narrow two-lane residential roads at Jalan Emas 1 and 2 in Tamah Megah Mas and squeeze their way into the tunnel, which measures a mere 8m wide, when the required width for public roads is 12m,” said Taman Megah Mas RA chairman G.C. Goay.

“Motorists from as far as Kota Damansara and Bandar Utama will also cut through Taman Mayang (via Jalan SS25/32 and Jalan SS25/39) to use the tunnel as a short cut to go to Saujana and Ara Damansara,” said Taman Mayang RT chairman Chan Chow Wang.

“The congestion is expected to worsen with future developments in Lembah Subang and Saujana like a four-star 18-storey hotel and several commercial and residential developments.”

“The congestion in our neighbourhood is very bad, particularly during peak hours, and the heavy traffic poses a danger to residents and pedestrians,” said Goay.

“When the Taman Megah Mas tunnel was closed last month for a traffic study initiated by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), crime went down to zero. Otherwise, there would be reports of car and house break-ins, and snatch thefts every week.”

According to Goay, the residents have been requesting for better access roads for those residing on the eastern side of Petaling Jaya since eight years ago.

“I would prefer a long-term solution like having a flyover be built at a suitable location to address the problem,” he said.

“I also hope that the relevant authorities would hasten efforts to provide a proper access road while making motorists’ safety a priority, as well as to restore the neighbourhood’s peaceful environment.”

“We want the authorities to close the Taman Megah Mas tunnel as soon as possible and construct a proper access road that doesn’t cut through residential areas,” said Chan.