Maimunah (In purple, front) on Jalan Masjid India after it reopened on Dec 31, 2024. With her are members of the task force and representatives from the police, Fire and Rescue Department and Malaysia Civil Defence Force. – LEW GUAN XI/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly five months after a sinkhole appeared, Jalan Masjid India has reopened to the public.
Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif said the conservation and repair work on the street was completed two months ahead of the scheduled target of February 2025
"The early completion is also to accommodate the shopping and business needs of the public during the upcoming festive seasons," she said.
Maimunah said this at a press conference held after a walkabout session in Jalan Masjid India following its reopening on Tuesday (Dec 31).
She also said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is currently studying the "Final Report on the Sinkhole Incident" (Laporan Akhir Inside Lubang Benam) prepared by a special task force formed after the incident.
Maimunah said that the task force is made up of the Mineral and Geoscience Department, Public Works Department (Geotechnical Engineering Branch), Malaysia Institute of Engineers, the Geotechnical Association of Malaysia, and other agencies.
She added that it was formed to assess the land structure, provide technical recommendations, coordinate the actions of the various agencies, and tackle the negative perception that arises following the incident.
"It has met more than five times since the incident. The latest meeting on Dec 8 was to discuss the final report, which will be tabled to the cabinet for approval early next year before being released publicly," she said.
Maimunah added that DBKL has conducted four deep boring tests in the vicinity of Jalan Masjid India to determine the soil profile of the area.
"Besides, DBKL has also repaired the walkways at the incident's ground zero and upgraded the drainage in the vicinity of Wisma Melayu and Jalan Masjid India," she said.
"Indah Water Konsortium has also repaired the broken sewage channels, while the related utility and telecommunications companies have repaired their assets in the area,” added Maimunah.
She said that periodical visual monitoring will be continued in the area as well as the whole city in collaboration with the related utility companies.
Maimunah added that the task force would continue its operations after the reopening, with RM10mil being allocated by the federal government.
"The allocation will be used for geotechnical research and utility mapping in the city's commercial centres to prevent similar incidents from repeating," she said.
She further urged the public to lodge complaints through the Adu@kl portal or call 03-40106337 (Skuad Penyelamat) for any suspicions of sedimentary soil and sinkholes spotted in public road reserves.
The tragedy that occurred on Aug 23 saw Vijaya Lakshmi, a 48-year-old woman from India, fall into a sinkhole that suddenly appeared in Jalan Masjid India.
She could not be located after nine days of search and rescue operations.
Also present at the press conference were members of the task force, as well as representatives from the police, fire and rescue department, and Malaysia Civil Defence Force (JPAM).
