KLANG: The role of the Selangor Utility Corridor (Kusel) to coordinate an underground utility mapping system has generated talking points following last month’s tragedy of an Indian national who fell into a sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur.
Kusel, which was raised by Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari a day after the tragedy, was developed by the state to coordinate and organise an underground utility mapping system.
“The establishment of Kusel is to identify what utilities are present beneath roads or land in our areas,” he was quoted as saying when asked about the Jalan Masjid India case in which the remains of the 48-year-old woman had not been found.
Kusel managing director Khairul Azmi Misran said underground utility mapping information would be helpful for rescuers in such situations.
This was why Kusel was established in 2020 under the flagship of the state’s Mentri Besar Incorporated (MBI), he said.
“Kusel is developing Koridor Utiliti Selangor Geographic Information System (Selgis), which is a comprehensive, integrated and dynamic database that stores the state’s critical utility data, spanning over both greenfield (undeveloped land) and brownfield (premises previously used for commercial purposes) areas,’’ he said.
Kusel manages, coordinates and plans five underground utility infrastructure – water, electricity, energy (gas), sewage and telecommunications.
All new applications to lay utility cables and pipes by utility service providers and contractors must go through Kusel, which functions as a one-stop centre to obtain the necessary permits and green light from the relevant local authorities.
“Kusel aims to streamline the process of utility permit applications in the state where each application is being thoughtfully managed from end-to-end; from pre-registration until the issuance of permits.”
Khairul Azmi said initiatives including the mandatory Utility Detection Mapping (UDM) requirement, and the constant updates of Selgis were crucial in the preliminary prevention efforts of phenomenon such as sinkholes.
Data collected through UDM will indicate the condition of the underground utility assets and the data stored in Selgis can also be crossed-checked and integrated with data owned by other parties for verification purposes, he added.
“This will allow us to locate the areas where old utility assets were buried, or the ones (utility assets) which have passed their material expiration.
“Periodical supervision and examination can be scheduled at the locations in concern, as a preventive measure towards any similar incidents,” he added.
Khairul Azmi said with accurate underground utility data easily accessible, the relevant parties would be able to execute thorough, well-planned as well as time and cost-effective efforts during search and rescue missions.
Kusel started receiving applications in March 2022. There have been about 2,800 applications with some approved while others are being vetted.
Khairul Azmi said UDM was a mandatory requirement for every application to Kusel.
“It is conducted by certified and authorised surveyors, using high-tech equipment such as the ground penetrating radar, pipe cable locator or electromagnetic locator.”
He explained that to substantiate a new application, once mapping is done, local authorities will make site visits to decide on the best excavation method whether it is open-cut or with the usage of horizontal directional drilling machinery.
Carrying out the UDM will help detect existing utility assets which are often buried deep.
“Hence, the possibility of damage to the existing utility assets can be prevented when new utility assets are being installed in the same corridor.
“Through UDM, we will be able to identify the route, depth and diameter for particular utility assets, which may later be regarded as a base map for any excavation works,” he said.
With the UDM, the occurrence of burst water pipes, which causes unscheduled water cuts, and damage to underground electricity wiring that will cause sudden power outages, can be avoided.
Head of Universiti Putra Malaysia Civil Engineering Department’s Geospatial Information Science Research Centre Dr Siti Nur Aliaa Roslan said underground utility mapping is a must in any pre, ongoing and post construction work.
“It would be better to know the real-time underground utility mapping so that any predicted or early warnings of underground movements can be detected and actions of prevention can be done.”
She said remote sensing technology can be used to detect imaging and non-imaging information of the underground utilities.
“This can later be integrated with other information in GIS (geographical information system) for portraying better visualisation to the users,’’ she added.
However, Dr Siti Nur Aliaa said the main concern would be to avoid any unwanted events that could lead to major action having to be initiated.
“For example, in any building refurbishment works, underground utility mapping would be helpful for the engineers to decide the best action or method to carry out the building maintenance, refurbishment and to upgrade works according to the current underground conditions,” she said.
Asked about the obstacles that may be present, Assoc Prof Dr Farah Nora Aznieta Abd Aziz, who is head of UPM Civil Engineering Department’s Housing Research Centre, said in old areas where buildings had undergone multiple changes, the utilities may also have been altered and this may pose structural obstructions during mapping work.
“These utilities could be embedded within walls, floors or foundations, and may have been installed using obsolete methods, such as lead pipes or clay conduits.
“In some cases, older buildings have utility systems that are interconnected in non-intuitive ways, complicating the task of determining which utilities serve specific areas,” she said.
She said these factors may complicate efforts to map utilities and require careful consideration in both investigation and planning.
“Overcoming these challenges requires a combination of research, technology and expertise. A thorough review of historical records and blueprints is essential to understand the original utility layouts,” she said.
