Operators working on reopening SMART Tunnel after Monday downpour

PETALING JAYA: The operators of the Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) in Kuala Lumpur are working to reopen the tunnel as soon as possible.

Following heavy rain in the city on Monday (Dec 23), the 4km storm drainage and road structure was closed at 6.30pm to alleviate potential flooding problems.

“The closure was important to prevent loss and and disaster in the coverage area of SMART Tunnel, ” they said in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 24).

It said that with the activation of the flood operation system, the areas around Masjid Jamek, Lebuh Ampang, Dataran Merdeka and Pasar Seni were saved from flooding.

It urged users to be patient as they were in the process of pumping out the water from the tunnel. This would then be followed by a tunnel-cleaning process.

“Once the cleaning work is completed, the mechanical and electrical inspection will be carried out with the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) to ensure that all equipment is in good condition and safe before being reopened for users, ” it said, adding that users would be informed once the tunnel was operational again.

They said that 1.3 million cubic meters of water was drained through the system this time.

They added that the status of the tunnel would be updated at its website www.smarttunnel.com.my, its twitter page @smarttunnel or “Smart Tunnel” Facebook page.

Users can also call their helpline at 1-300-88-7188.

SMART Tunnel, heavy rain, closed, reopen, December 2019