Drain upgrades, flood problems being identified ahead of LRT3 project’s completion by March 2025

KLANG Royal City Council (MBDK) will upgrade the drainage around the Lorong Nuri area, in front of SMK Tinggi Klang along Jalan Meru, Klang.

“The upgrading will be done this year as the area often experiences flooding when it rains heavily,” said Selangor investment, trade and mobility committee chairman Ng Sze Han during the Selangor state assembly sitting in Shah Alam on Friday (March 1).

He was answering a question by Dr Quah Perng Fei (PH - Bandar Baru Klang), who wanted to know the status of the Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT3) project in Bandar Baru Klang and the cause of stagnant water in drains around the LRT3 project site when it rains heavily.

Ng said the LRT3 project is 93.88% completed as of January 2024, and that it is expected to be fully completed and operational by March 2025.

“For Bandar Baru Klang, the track construction status is at 99.24% while the station construction status is at 91.03%,” he said.

“All drainage systems and related works in that constituency have been completed based on the consultant's design and approved by the Selangor Drainage and Irrigation Department and MBDK.

“However, a series of floods occurred in Jalan Meru, namely in front of Kompleks Pasar Meru Klang and SMK Tinggi Klang, during the LRT3 construction stage and after works were completed.”

Following that, Ng said MBDK instructed the LRT3 project’s developer and contractors to review the matter, identify the cause of the flood and propose suggestions to overcome the floods.

“Based on that, it was revealed that the LRT3 project developer’s side needs to check on the effectiveness of the project site’s scupper drains.

“There is also a need for drainage cleaning work along Jalan Meru until Sungai Klang and possible modification of the sewerage system at Bulatan Kota area.”

Ng said one of the main causes of the stagnant water during heavy rains was blockages in the downstream drainage system to the river as well as obstructions such as rubbish and utility structures that block drainage flow.

“The problem of stagnant water also occurs when there is extremely heavy rain during high tides,” he said.

“This results in a backflow of water to the drainage along Jalan Meru, causing water to overflow and resulting in stagnant water.”

Muhammad Hilman Idham (PN-Gombak Setia) then asked a supplementary question, on whether the state government had any policies or if local authorities had any conditions that infrastructure, such as roads and drains, affected by development projects would be repaired so as to not cause disruptions or inconveniences to the public.

“When a developer or contractor submits the application for planning permission for any project, each local authority will stipulate the conditions that party would have to adhere to,” said Ng.

“The local councils will also ensure that these conditions are complied with, before giving their endorsement for the certificate of completion and compliance when the project is completed.”

The LRT3 line connects the Johan Setia LRT station in Klang to the Bandar Utama interchange station in Petaling Jaya.

It was previously reported that the 37km-long line is expected to serve over two million residents in the western corridor of the Klang Valley area.