Illegally parked cars at Jalan Jambu in Kepong. — Photos: AZMAN GHANI/The Star
ONGOING work to renovate and extend a mall along Jalan Jambu in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur is adding to congestion in the area.
Community activist Yee Poh Ping said work on the basement and two levels of the mall had been going on for over 10 years, with no signs of completion.
Hoarding used to separate the construction area from Jalan Jambu has been in place since the project was approved in 2014, he said.
“The hoarding is right at the edge of the road, leaving no buffer space on this busy road.
“When errant motorists park next to the hoarding, it affects traffic flow,” he said.
Yee said the situation could be chaotic during peak hours and with heavy vehicles plying the road.
“There is no conclusion date for the construction,” Yee said, referring to the development notice at the site.
When StarMetro visited the site, there was no construction activity.
It appears that work on the site has halted for some time.
A pool of stagnant water raises concerns that the area can turn into a breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes.
Broken shopping trolleys and piles of construction materials had been left at the site.
Puddles of stagnant water in the basement are also visible.
Yee said this was a potential breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes, raising concerns of a dengue outbreak among residents.
He urged Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to find a solution including imposing a time frame for the completion of the work.
Yee added that residents visiting the mall or eating at stalls along Jalan Jambu often chose to park illegally by the road.
“There were parking bays by the roadside many years ago but there are none now,” he said.
“Motorists now have to park at the nearby community hall, which has limited parking or utilise the mall’s carpark, which is inconvenient for some.”
An elderly motorist, who was seen parking along the hoarding, said the lack of public parking was an issue.
“I know there is parking in the mall but I am not confident of driving up four or five levels.
“If there is more parking by the roadside, traffic will not be as congested, but right now there is no space at all on Jalan Jambu,” she said.
