Prolonged Road Issue: Puncak Alam Residents Seek Sultan Selangor’s Intervention

SHAH ALAM: Residents of Zone 21, Puncak Alam, are appealing for the intervention of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, after claiming that the Meru-Bukit Cherakah road upgrade project, which has been ongoing since 2019, has still failed to be completed, affecting the safety and daily lives of thousands of residents.

Alam Sutera, Puncak Alam Chairman, Fazlifah Awang, said that the project delay has caused extraordinary traffic congestion, where a journey of approximately two kilometres can take more than an hour during peak hours.

According to her, the dark road conditions, lack of street lights, signboards, and incomplete construction work have also resulted in fatal accidents and serious injuries.

“Many have been involved in accidents. Some have died, broken legs, and fractured spines. But until today, we have not seen any action that truly resolves the problem,” she told the media today.

Fazlifah was met after submitting a memorandum regarding the road to the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, at the gates of Istana Kayangan today.

She said that more than 22,000 residents in Zone 21, Puncak Alam, covering 16 housing estates, are affected, in addition to the overall population of the area, which is estimated to be nearly 300,000 people.

She said that the project delay has also increased the cost of living for residents, as school vans charge higher fees because they have to take longer detours, besides hindering the movement of emergency vehicles including fire engines.

“Previously, school van fees were around RM120, now they have risen to RM200 because they have to take long detours. If one family has three children, the cost reaches RM600 per month.

“We also face tyre, rim, and vehicle damage due to the poor road conditions,” she said.

Fazlifah claimed that although several housing and commercial projects in the area have been completed and handed over to buyers, the main road project is still far from completion.

In fact, she estimated that the overall progress of the project is currently only around 30 per cent, with bridge construction and main infrastructure work still not completed.

In that regard, she expressed hope that the Sultan of Selangor’s intervention would draw attention to the problem, thus ensuring that all relevant parties expedite the completion of the project, which has long been delayed.

Meanwhile, former Jeram State Legislative Assemblyman (ADUN), Mohd Shaid Rosli, said that the memorandum to the Sultan of Selangor is seen as a last resort after various official channels, including complaints to the Public Complaint Management System (SISPAA), the Public Works Department (JKR), the district office, and relevant agencies, failed to produce a solution.

“It has been more than seven years, but this road is still not completed. We have made various complaints to JKR, the district office, SISPAA, and relevant parties, but there has been no solution.

“So we felt that it was time to bring the people’s voice to the Sultan of Selangor as a final channel. We hope that His Royal Highness can see the condition of this road for himself and help expedite its resolution,” he said.

Mohd Shaid claimed that the project, involving collaboration between developer LBS and the Selangor Menteri Besar (Incorporated) (MBI), was previously promised to be completed in 2022 after a meeting with JKR at the end of 2020, but until now, it has yet to show satisfactory progress.

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