Residents of Alam Sari, Kajang, are frustrated about having to endure bumper-to-bumper traffic in Jalan Alam Sari during peak hours.
Alam Sari residents want Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) to take immediate steps to resolve the traffic congestion in Jalan Alam Sari.
They claim the situation worsened last year after the roads from a new neighbouring township were opened, which served as a shortcut for motorists from Semenyih heading towards Jalan Reko, Kajang.
Alam Sari Residents Association Coalition chairman Datuk Fadzilah Mohd Salleh said the drive over a 2.5km stretch from the UKM Komuter station to Alam Sari used to take about three minutes but now took up to 40 minutes during peak hours.
He said several members of the coalition had met with MPKj officers, councillors and Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan, as well as property developer representatives of both townships on Dec 8 last year to discuss the matter.
Fadzilah says congestion in Alam Sari will be much worse once more projects are completed.
“We proposed an alternative road for Alam Sari residents to enter and exit Jalan Reko.
“However, an MPKj officer explained that the alternative road would not be possible as the location was too close to the proposed Putrajaya-Bangi Expressway.
“We then proposed several short-term measures to alleviate the congestion, including widening the road, building additional lanes and repainting road lines at the affected stretch, but there has been no response from MPKj to date despite many follow-up letters from us,” said Fadzilah.
He said the last response from MPKj was that it would organise a meeting with all concerned parties regarding the matter after Hari Raya in April, but it had yet to be done.
“It appears that many development projects are being approved continuously without a proper traffic management plan.
“There are many projects that are under construction.
Hafidz says MPKj should halt all new development proposals in Alam Sari and nearby areas.
“I cannot imagine how much worse the traffic congestion will be once all these projects are completed,” he added.
The coalition’s deputy chairman Hafidz Kudus said residents wanted MPKj to halt all new development proposals in Alam Sari, as well as the surrounding areas, until a solution for the traffic problem was found.
“We are not against development but it has to be approved with proper infrastructure to accommodate the new projects.
“We also hope that the road from Bangi Avenue that links to Aman Sari will not be opened, as it will definitely worsen the already unbearable traffic situation,” he said.
