THE primary purpose of a road drainage system is to remove surface water and keep the streets dry.
Once collected, water is diverted to an acceptable discharge point, usually a natural waterway such as a river or lake.
Without adequate drainage systems, many townships would face regular flooding and even public health risks.
The Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 governs the planning and control of the development of streets, drainage and buildings within the local authority areas.
However, most roads in these townships were built decades ago, when road shoulders were lined with grass patches to separate pedestrians and vehicles from the drains.
At the time, drain dimensions were unregulated; some reached depths of 3m to ensure rapid runoff.
Current guidelines in the Urban Stormwater Management Manual for Malaysia stipulate that open drains in pedestrian areas must be covered if they exceed 0.6m in depth.
The necessity of these covers cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to public safety.
As traffic volume grew, local authorities sacrificed grass shoulders to widen roads, pushing open drains to the very edge of the road.
This has heightened the risk of pedestrians falling in.
In recent years, there have been several fatalities and numerous serious injuries linked to uncovered drains.
Jalan SS24/9, which links the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) to Taman Megah, is an example of such a hazard.
The drain depth near the LDP side is more than 3m, reducing to 1.5m at the other end.
Under the Urban Stormwater Management Manual guideline, the drain must be covered.
Furthermore, while the drain parallel to the LDP uses precast reinforced concrete gratings as a walkway, one grating is currently missing.
This leaves a gaping hole that poses a serious risk, especially at night.
Such hazardous conditions are likely common across Selangor.
Local authorities have a duty of care to inspect roads, identify hazards and ensure public amenities are safe for use.
Selangor is a developed state; its infrastructure should reflect that status.
The next of kin of those injured by such negligence should consider legal action, as these conditions should no longer be tolerated.
WONG SOO KAN
Petaling Jaya
