Background
The KL-Putrajaya highway (MEX Expressway) is a Malaysian Government project with 26KM length, from Kampung Pandan roundabout to Putrajaya. The concession was signed on 22 October 1997.
Divided into several construction packages, package 5 of this Project starts from Salak South Garden, pass through an established residential area, i.e. Bandar Baru Sri Petaling and end at Bukit Jalil. The stretch in Bandar Baru Sri Petaling with approximately 1.25KM will be an elevated structure to be built on the existing road, Jalan 2/149, which has 32 metres reserve width that services the residential area.
The Malaysian Government has approved the construction of an elevated highway just a mere 2 meters from residential homes which contradicts with all the existing guidelines and town planning laws. This is the result of a blunder which happened after the project was inked in 1997.
Truck falling off elevated highway will fall into the homes!
In 1997, the same year the project was approved, a knowledgeable resident had written to advise Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia (LLM) to ensure the alignment of the highway towards Zone N of Bandar Baru Sri Petaling away from current residential homes. Zone N is a clear piece of land, which has not been developed at that time and this will ensure adequate buffer zone is provided on both sides of the highway when it is constructed. Apart from that, there were several more residents who have also written to LLM for information of the Project between 1998 to 2003 which was largely ignored by LLM.
The entire project was delayed (and some say cancelled) due to the Asian economic crisis in 1997. Subsequently the project was revived in 2004 only to discover that someone had forgotten to ‘reserve’ the land for the highway development. Today, Zone N has been developed into semi dense residential homes and constructing a highway through would mean the highway will be extremely near to the homes.
Despite repeated attempts by the residents to request the Government to reconsider alternative routes to construct the highway, it fell on deaf ears. The then Minister of Works, Samy Vellu defied all the residents plea and forge ahead to construct the ideal river of gold sacrificing the livelihood of the residents.
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Random Pictures
Highway Key Facts
26KM stretches from Kampung Pandan to Putrajaya
consession signed on 22 Oct 1997
adequate land was available then
resident wrote letter to LLM to advice them to ensure adequate buffer zone since there is land (1997)
project was shelved due to economic crisis
DBKL approved housing project when they should have reserved the land for highway
houses built and sold to unsuspecting buyers
land was 'lost' in the process due to authorities blunder
project is bulldozed through despite protest for safety
project is in breach of their own guidelinesIsn't it ironic?
LLM, DBKL, DOE say they are not aware about the sheer proximity of the highway to the homes!
A resident has written to the authorities way back in 1997 to realign the Right Of Way of the highway to utilize the undeveloped Zone N. [click here to see the letter and how it fell on deaf ears of the authorities]
The developer of Zone N (Petaling Garden Berhad) managed to obtain approval to build houses along a path of designated federal highway. How can that be?