Expressways MUST be built in advance in anticipation of potential jams. Approvals should best be based on decision science and not political science. Well, one latest one which has attracted lots of attention is the East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE). EKVE has been approved by Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ). The approval comes with a few conditions in place. The project developer Ahmad Zaki Resources Bhd (AZRB) must submit the latest Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) study and verified by an independent body. AZRB must also listen to the improvements suggested by the residents in the proposed construction of the new expressway.
EKVE costs RM1.55bil and the highway is designed as a closed toll system and with five toll plazas at each of the planned five interchanges. This is the final stretch of the Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road (KLORR) system. It has been announced that a total of 106.65ha of forest reserve would be de-gazetted for the purpose of the project. This has continued to face public outcry. Latest one said that residents in Bukit Antarabangsa are unhappy with the state government and MPAJ’s handling of their objections. Instead of relieving jams, residents are afraid that EKVE would make the usual MRR2 jam even worse.
Another report said that the proposed expressway is dangerous and would affect the water supply and air quality of Selangor residents. It will also destroy and fragmentise wildlife habitats. It said that there was no respect for transparency, democracy and participation in Local Agenda 21, to which the municipal council and state government claim to be committed.
I personally think that since this has already been approved, cancelling it would take lots of political will. There are definitely pros and cons and I think all the reasons for the approval should be shared with the public. Successfully objecting is always tough because it’s nature versus development. Most of the time, development wins. Nature means nothing happens and the state government also do not gain anything by doing nothing. However, nothing is certain because KIDEX which was said to be approved earlier has been cancelled as per the last announcement from the Menteri Besar Selangor, Azmin Ali.
written on 20 Aug 2015
next suggested article: Seven highways starting next year. That means MORE TOLLS in future. 🙂
East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE) approved, BUT..
Comments
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Charles,
Everybody wants to live by the nature. But how can we build a house without destroying the trees that grow within the house site, and the road connecting the house. By the time, when our neighbor wants to build their house beside us, we accused them for destroying the nature. Please be fair..
Same goes to the resident of Bukit Antarabangsa. You should know that one day, there will be more development to be build by your neighborhood. You cannot stop development because you only pay the price of your house only, not the price for stopping further development in future. When you rush into someone’s place, you told them that this is the development but when somebody wants to build a house beside you, you tell them we are destroying the nature?
What the developer should do is to minimize the impact of nature base on what we can predict in our study. Of course we cannot resist 100% impact, but we can if we follow the rules of nature and respect to it. Rules no 1, don’t cut the hill slopes so deep and hopes that our ‘granite bracket’ can hold it forever. Second, don’t stop the small river from flowing.Thirdly, don’t reclaim the land wihout waiting it to be solidly stabilized. Others are like leave some trees growing, build a proper drainage system and etc.
I just want to give credit to some highways like Bukit Putus, East-West Highway in the north, East Coast Highway and SILK (just to name some). We can see lushry green forest by our side and swamps. There is no landslide reported for many years. I truly believe that EKVE can do the same if they follow rules of nature. Please make our nature to be enjoyed not to be cursed. Why the small country like Singapore can do that?-
I agree with you im. I m pro responsible development anytime. If no development, how can the original buyer even enjoy capital appreciation? Cheers.
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