(From left) Leow and Ian Goh from Hin Hua High School PTA with Jayandra standing beneath part of the unfinished covered walkway.
Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) is building a covered walkway in Jalan Jelutong, off Persiaran Raja Muda Musa, to service the soon-to-be-operational Taman Selatan Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT3) station.
MBDK Engineering Department acting director Mohd Zaidi Zainal said such walkways connecting to the LRT3 station were a strategy within a broader transit-oriented development plan to create more walkable urban spaces.
“Covered pavements are part of a common urban planning strategy to improve walkability and create more comfortable walking environments,” he said.
“The 700m-long covered walkway costing RM503,134 is to encourage people to use public transport instead of driving.”
Mohd Zaidi added that students from seven schools in the area – Hin Hua High School, SK La Salle, SMK La Salle, SK (1) and (2) Simpang Lima, SMK Tengku Ampuan Rahimah and Regent International School – would benefit from the facility.
“Our contractors are scheduled to complete the structure in the first week of February next year.
“All seven schools’ parent- teacher associations (PTAs) have voiced concerns over the existing traffic congestion in the area.
“We are told the inner service roads are used by about 6,000 students, who arrive by cars, school buses and motorcycles, while others cycle or walk.
“The situation is chaotic,” he said.
SMK La Salle PTA chairman K. Jayandra said the covered walkway would help reduce traffic, as students staying in Bukit Raja, Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Bandar Botanic and Bandar Parklands would be connected by the new LRT3 line.
However, Jayandra called for further connectivity, saying that the covered structure must also be linked to an elevated pedestrian bridge across Leboh Jelutong to the Taman Selatan LRT3 station.
He said MBDK should also build a covered walkway outside SK La Salle so that children can be sheltered from the rain and heat.
This suggestion was seconded by Hin Hua High School PTA committee member Canry Leow, who said several schools would benefit from the structure.
Currently, Klang South traffic police officers are stationed to regulate traffic during peak hours outside the schools from 6.45am to 7.30am, noon to 1.30pm, and 3pm to 3.45pm, to maintain road safety.
