Section 14 residents say there are road depressions and sand mounds due to pipe replacement works. — GLENN GUAN/The Star
Residents in Section 14, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, say pipe-replacement and excavation works have left their neighbourhood roads in a poor state.
The situation, they said, was due to the digging and the utility contractors’ failure to level the ground.
They claimed that uneven ground compaction had led to depressions, while discarded tree root debris and sand piled on road shoulders made it difficult to park vehicles.
Resident Mahendran Menon, 78, said the contractors began pipe-replacement works in early 2023, with the project continuing until today.
Underground water pipes in the neighbourhood were laid in the mid-1960s.
According to him and other residents, there were numerous breakages over the past years.
“Most of the residents are glad that the pipe replacement works are being carried out, but it must not become a nuisance to the people who live in the area,” said the retired actuary.
Mahendran said work was being carried out in haste, without allowing the soil to settle before resurfacing.
This had resulted in depressions similar to potholes, making it a hazard for motorists, he said.
“Depressions on the roads are potential safety hazards for pedestrians and cyclists too,” he said.
He added that sand piled up on road shoulders at the work site resulted in uneven surfaces.
Resident LM Chong, 68, said several roads in the neighbourhood, including Jalan 14/50, Jalan 14/52, Jalan 14/53 and Jalan 14/56, were riddled with depressions due to shoddy patchwork.
“We want Air Selangor contractors who have dug up the road shoulders, to replant the grass instead of just covering it with stones,” the retired architect said.
“We cannot accept shoddy work like this, as we cannot walk on the uneven surface.”
Chong said a majority of the residents want the contractors to remove the base material – where the road depressions are – and replace it with suitable material that is compacted before the road is resurfaced with asphalt.
Air Selangor corporate communications head Elina Baseri said the Section 14 pipe replacement was 80% complete with work scheduled to be finished by the end of September.
“Under the current contract, the road will be resurfaced from kerb to kerb once connection to the consumers (communication pipe) and decommissioning of existing pipe are completed.
“During the construction stage, the contractor has adhered to standard safety measures such as placing cones at the work area.
“Once the pipes have been laid, a temporary reinstatement will be carried out and the cones will be removed from the site.
“If the site poses hazards to the public, the cones will be placed to prevent public from entering the site,” said Elina.
