BANGSAR residents are questioning Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) about why taxpayers should fund a RM211 million elevated highway in the area.

Bukit Bandaraya Residents’ Association adviser Mumtaz Ali said DBKL must explain why taxpayers’ funds are being used for the project in Pusat Bandar Damansara.

“From what we have heard, more than 60% of taxpayers’ money is being used to cater to a development by a private developer.

“DBKL should, instead, spend the funds on sprucing up, landscaping and greening neighbourhoods, rather than building highways and byways, because it is not going to solve the traffic problem here.

“This looks like it’s beneficial to the developer of the project,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The 1.3km three-lane carriageway will be built from the Sprint Highway-Jalan Maarof interchange near the Pavilion Damansara Heights project to the Sprint Highway-Jalan Semantan interchange.

Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who officiated at the groundbreaking on Monday, said the highway, which is expected to be completed in June 2020, will ease traffic congestion in the area.

He said the project will receive a RM130 million allocation from DBKL, and will be completed in 30 months.

Mumtaz said residents want the authorities and planners to revisit the project and minimise transit traffic passing through Bangsar.

“The prime minister and federal territories minister said they will engage with the residents on such issues.

“But, it is not the case here. There is no engagement, and the residents are stunned by this project.”

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil asked if the selection of contractor WCT Sdn Bhd was done via open tender or direct negotiations – seeing as to how the project will cost Kuala Lumpur ratepayers RM130 million, or 62% of the total project cost.

“At a cost of RM211 million, this 1.34km elevated highway will cost approximately RM157,462 per metre.

“And since RM130 million will be paid for by KL residents via DBKL, this means that we are giving RM97,015 per metre as a subsidy to the developer.”

The Lembah Pantai PKR Youth chief said without the “subsidy” by Kuala Lumpur folk, the developer would not be able to complete the project within 30 months.

“As Bangsar and Damansara Heights residents are directly impacted by this big project, and since KL ratepayers will be financing the bulk of this project, I call upon Tengku Adnan to hold a special town hall session with all residents of Bangsar and Bukit Damansara.”

Bukit Damansara Residents’ Association president Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman said residents are not happy that developers are turning Bukit Damansara into a city, and they are unsure if the highway will benefit them.

“This area is supposed to be an open space, but now, there is massive development taking place. Now, we can’t even play marbles here.

“There is going to be massive traffic congestion, and we want DBKL to ensure that our livelihoods will not be affected. But, they don’t care about anybody and do what they like.” – March 29, 2018.