Dialogue to solve Kampung Tunku traffic woes

THE Petaling Jaya City Council will hold a dialogue session with the residents of Kampung Tunku and Taman Aman soon to try and resolve the controversy over the access route to Paramount View condominium and other traffic related issues.

The condominium, located behind Jalan 22/44 in Taman Aman, is 90 per cent ready and would add to the perennial traffic problem in the old neighbourhood, residents say. It is estimated that there would be an additional 1,000 vehicles when the condominium is completed, aggravating traffic in the already congested Kampung Tunku.

MBPJ deputy president Puasa Md Taib said they had discussed the matter of the access route with the developer recently, and their Infrastructure and Traffic, Planning and Engineering departments were studying various possible measures that could be implemented.

“Once that is completed, we will call the residents living in Kampung Tunku for a briefing and they can give their views and concerns about the area. It will be chaired by Kampung Tunku State assemblyman Lau Weng San,” he added.

However, Lau when contacted begged to differ with Puasa. He said the matter regarding Paramount View and the traffic situation affecting other residents should be held separately, as the issues were complex. Lau said there was a meeting last March where residents living close to the condominium together with residents from other stretches were invited to discuss the traffic problem in the neighbourhood.

A resident, who declined to be named, maintained that the meeting Lau was referring to was strictly for those living within a 200m radius of the condominium, which were Jalan 21/27, Jalan SS1/25, Jalan SS1/26 and Jalan 22/44. No others were involved.

“It is good to have the dialogue MBPJ is initiating as this issue has been dragging on for months,” he said.

John Phung, a resident living along Jalan 1/22, said the traffic was extremely heavy in the mornings and evenings.

“We hope to improve the area through this dialogue,” he said.

Malay Mail had reported that Paramount View, a 12-storey condominium with 233 units equipped with a three-storey podium car park, among others, were built right behind a row of double-storey bungalows along Jalan 22/ 44, damaging the houses as a result.

Residents along SS1/25 fear their stretch would be used as exit points for the development and they had objected to it since the affected roads are barely 30 feet wide and would not be able to cope with the extra traffic load.