StarMetro’s article on April 3, reporting the problems arising from the road closure.
SEVERAL safety and security measures are in place to help residents of Puncak Banyan Condominium who are affected by the road closure following the collapse of a gantry crane at the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) construction site in Alam Damai, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.
SUKE highway concessionaire Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas) said security guards had been placed at the location to assist and monitor the area 24 hours a day.
“The area around the pedestrian walkway has also been cleaned and expanded, with floodlights installed for the comfort and safety of residents, ” the company said in a statement.
“SUKE is also working with UCSI University Kuala Lumpur to provide additional parking to residents for free.”
Prolintas added that a free shuttle van service was being provided from the temporary parking area of Block B to UCSI, from 7am to 9.45pm.
On complaints that the stairs by the side of Block A of the condominium being too steep, the company said the stairs were built by the condominium developer.
“Another access has been created behind Block A at the request of the residents association and is now open for the use of residents, ” it said.
Prolintas said the closure of the main access was temporary and it would be reopened after completion of the gantry crane removal work.
StarMetro earlier reported that residents struggled daily to access several apartments and condominiums along Persiaran Alam Damai since the main access road had been closed off after the incident on March 22 due to safety concerns as well as to enable clean-up works.
However, this has meant that residents, like those at Puncak Banyan Condominium, have been cut off from their only access that faced Persiaran Alam Damai.
Residents now have to use two staircases behind the blocks to enter and exit the compound.
In a separate statement, Prolintas said work to remove the gantry crane would take a week to complete as it was a complicated process.
It would involve cutting the gantry crane into several parts before being taken down.
“Six cranes will be used during the removal works, after obtaining approval from the supervisory consulting engineers and the authorities.
“SUKE and the contractor, Syarikat Muhibbah Perniagaan and Pembinaan Sdn Bhd (SMPP), have begun work to remove the gantry crane, ” the statement read.
It added that this was carried out after the first phase of stabilising the U-beam structure and gantry crane was completed and taking into account the safety of surrounding residents and construction workers.
During the incident last month, three foreign construction workers were killed while a local motorist was seriously injured after a component of the gantry crane at the highway construction site collapsed.
