The existing earth drain connecting Jalan 18/17 to the nearby monsoon drain in Petaling Jaya gets clogged up.
A NEW underground drain is being built along Jalan 18/17 in Petaling Jaya, Selangor to tackle flash floods in the area.
The project carried out by Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) is expected to help channel water more effectively into a nearby monsoon drain.
Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran said the floods occurred because the existing earth drain, which is the only channel between neighbourhood drains and the monsoon drain, had been poorly maintained.
“Over the years, the earth drain has become a bottleneck for rainwater outflow during heavy rain and has caused occasional ankle to knee-high floods.
“This new 130m drain will have its own outlet into the monsoon drain, creating an additional channel for rainwater to flow into the nearby monsoon drain.
“This will solve the problem of water accumulation in local drains, as there will be two channels in total,” he said.
He added that KDEB Waste Management Sdn Bhd had been doing a good job of keeping the monsoon drain clear of debris and blockages.
Rajiv said residents had been highlighting the issue of poor water flow to MBPJ and his office.
“It does not always flood but when rainfall is unusually heavy, the water overflows from the drains, which happens a few times each year,” he added.
MBPJ Zone 16 councillor Terrance Tan said the existing earth drain, which stretches approximately 100m, was located on private land and maintenance had only been carried out by KDEB Waste Management on a voluntary basis.
“This causes backflow into local drains when there is heavy rainfall, causing rainwater to overflow onto the roads,” Tan said.
Rajiv said the project, which cost RM405,000, was halfway completed and expected to be fully completed by June 23.
“With this project, there should not be any more flooding in Bukit Gasing, as all known areas have been sorted out, but we will remain alert for any new issues,” said Rajiv.
He added that under the Bukit Gasing constituency, there were a number of flood hotspots caused by drainage issues, which were addressed over the last 10 years.
The hotspots include Jalan Railway, Jalan Carey, Jalan 1/3, Jalan Templer, SJKT Vivekananda, Jalan 18/11, Taman Kanagapuram as well as areas in Sections 6, 8, 12 and 17.
The existing earth drain connecting Jalan 18/17 to the nearby monsoon drain in Petaling Jaya gets clogged up.
MBPJ contractors working on the new underground drain to help channel rainwater more effectively.
