Ara Damansara

Source: Star Dec 15

THE Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will look into simultaneously opening two controversial roads — Jalan Tanjung and the PJU1A/1 missing link.

During a meeting at the MBPJ headquarters in Jalan Yong Shook Lin recently, residents of Tropi-cana, Damansara Idaman and Ara Damansara were briefed on the 17 short-, medium- and long-term projects suggested to alleviate the traffic congestion in the Petaling Jaya Utara (PJU) area.

Among those present at the meeting was MBPJ secretary Puasa Md Taib, engineering department head Cheremi Tarman, councillor Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainuddin and traffic consultant Goh Bok Yen, who was appointed to conduct the PJU traffic study.

One of the short-term proposal was to build the PJU1A/1missing link that would connect Ara Damansara to Tropicana.

The road was meant to link the two areas but has long been embroiled in controversy.

In 2004, the Tropicana Residents Association protested against the linking of the two areas because the Persiaran Tropicana tunnel only had one lane each for traffic coming in and out of the area.

The Tropicana residents then filed an injunction to keep the link closed until the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) widened the tunnel.

After the tunnel was completed, developer TA First Credit Sdn Bhd who was supposed to complete the link stopped work in May because the Damansara Idaman Owners and Residents Association (Diora) filed an injunction against the opening of the road, citing traffic congestion.

The road was blocked with boulders but tired of waiting, Ara Damansara residents had collectively removed the concrete blocks.

During the meeting, Puasa said since the land had already been surrendered to the state and under Section 5(d) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 133, the council had the right to build the road.

“Right now, the issue has been brought to the state so once the MTES (Selangor Economic Action Council) gives us the green light, it will be opened. We already have the funds for it,” said Puasa.

He said they planned to complete the road by February but Diora president Wan Annuar Wan Mohd Noor suggested that the road be opened only when Jalan Tanjung was completed.

Jalan Tanjung, which connected Bandar Utama to Tropicana, was the other controversial road which was closed in late 2009 because the Bandar Utama City Corporation wanted to take back a piece of private land.

Goh said Persiaran Tropicana was already overloaded during peak hours and the traffic count was done without even taking into account that Jalan Tanjung would be closed.

Wan Annuar said if the missing link was opened before Jalan Tanjung, then cars would be backed up along Persiaran Tropicana, creating a traffic nightmare for Damansara Idaman residents.

The Selangor government was now acquiring the land following the Shah Alam High Court’s dismissal of BUCC and Bandar Utama Technology Park’s application for leave for a judicial review recently.

Puasa said the council would try to speed up the widening of Jalan Tanjung and open both roads at the same time.

Cheremi said the tender to widen the road had already been advertised.

Ara Damansara resident C.P Lim said with the approval of two high-rise developments in Jalan PJU1A/20, the traffic problem faced by all residents would only worsen.

Puasa said the projects had not been approved yet.

“I chaired the One-Stop Centre (OSC) meeting when we discussed the projects and we have proposed the developers lower the plot ratio of 1:4,” he said.

Puasa added that the council and the consultants of the Petaling Jaya Draft Plan had also agreed that the current plot ratio of 1:4 for commercial land in Ara Damansara was too high and was looking into lowering it in the new Special Area Plan (RKK).