THE remaining river beautification works under the River of Life (ROL) project will be completed by 2030, says the Federal Territories Department (JWP).
According to the department, about 80% of the 10.7km-long project has been beautified.
“The areas around Masjid Jamek, Dataran Merdeka, Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad and Brickfields were beautified in 2017, while the beautification work at Titiwangsa Lake Garden was completed in 2019,” JWP said in a statement to StarMetro.
“The remaining 2.2km (yet to be beautified) involves the stretch between the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur and Kampung Puah flood retention pond.
“These works are all aimed at beautifying the areas along the rivers in Kuala Lumpur with elements such as pedestrian and bicycle paths, pocket parks and suitable trees.
“The trail has been planned such that the public can appreciate the historic buildings and cultural heritage along the route.”
JWP also said measures to ensure the proper management and maintenance of completed ROL sites have been drawn up.
“It includes appointing the relevant agencies based on their expertise and abiding by the asset management rules as outlined by the Federal Government,” it added.
It was previously reported that the government cancelled five out of the 12 outstanding ROL projects following a review, as they were deemed “less significant” towards achieving the project’s objectives.
ROL aims to transform Sungai Gombak and Sungai Klang into a dynamic and liveable waterfront icon with high economic value.
It consists of three main components, namely river cleaning, river beautification and land development.
Alliance of River Three founder Kennedy Michael urged the authorities to give attention to the restoration of river ecosystems.
“If the water quality and river ecosystem are restored, we will have beautiful rivers,” he said when contacted.
“It is important to note that the river ecosystem now also includes the surrounding buildings.
“Since we cannot just tear down all these structures, we need to find a way to maintain both the natural and constructed elements without deteriorating the water quality.”
