PETALING Jaya residents say better traffic dispersal needs to be paired with the Draft Special Area Plan (RKK) for sections 19, 51 and 51A.
Long-time resident Rajesh Mansukhlal said he welcomed the redevelopment plan by Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) as many buildings in that part of the city were ageing.
However, he said a traffic dispersal plan was necessary and should include public transport, as existing roads would not be able to support redevelopment.
It was earlier reported that several government institutions in Petaling Jaya New Town, including the Court Complex, Chemistry Department, Forensics Building, Bangunan Persekutuan and Road Transport Department (JPJ), might be relocated.
The proposed move from Section 52 to Section 51, near Jalan Tandang, is part of a public-private partnership (PPP) project under the Prime Minister’s Department.
Rajesh said the city needed proper infrastructure to cater to new developments.
Yeoh: Section 52 government offices ideally located to serve PJ and KL residents.
“The plan comes with widening of roads, but it does not seem practicable to move the new volume of traffic,” he said.
The Section 6 Rukun Tetangga (RT) chairman said local councils must have plans comprising all aspects of redevelopment.
He pointed out that the service at Taman Dato Harun KTM Komuter station was not as frequent as the LRT, MRT or monorail elsewhere.
“Unless the service is improved, allowing transit oriented development (TOD) in this area would cause traffic problems,” he said.
Former MBPJ councillor and long-time resident Richard Yeoh said the government buildings in Section 52, although old, were ideally located to serve Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur residents.
“They are also near LRT stations, a public transport option with more frequent service.
“The roads here are narrow. The land area is not big and any development (in Section 52) may impact the traffic situation,” he said.
Rajesh worries about TOD around Taman Dato Harun KTM Komuter station.
On Sept 30, Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon launched the RKK for sections 19, 51 and 51A.
The mayor said that in the draft plan, a TOD zone comprising 40% affordable housing was proposed in Section 51 near the Taman Dato Harun KTM Komuter station.
In Section 51A, near the Asia Jaya LRT station, a mixed development is proposed, namely 60% commercial and 40% residential.
Mohamad Zahri said sections 19, 51 and 51A had the potential to be Selangor’s main economic hub.
Rezoning in all three sections will involve changes from limited commercial to full commercial as well as industrial to mixed development.
In tandem, there will be road and intersection upgrades including directional ramps to the Federal Highway.
MBPJ has also planned a green corridor along the railway reserve for walking, cycling, trams and micromobility.
The mayor said the draft RKK, if implemented, would have a gross development value (GDV) of over RM1.76bil, spanning 4.06sq km.
The public exhibition for the plan, as outlined under Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172), is ongoing until Oct 27 at MBPJ’s headquarters.
