Residents object proposed alignment

RESIDENTS of Mutiara Damansara and Damansara Perdana have objected against the alignment proposal to use Jalan PJU 7/30 and Jalan PJU 8/2 for the Damansara-Shah Alam Highway (DASH).

The residents expressed their concerns to Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong, who is also Bukit Lanjan assemblyman, at a meeting called by Mutiara Damansara Phase 10 Residents’ Association on Saturday at a condominium in Damansara Perdana. Petaling Jaya.

City councillor Chan Chee Kong was also present.

Chan told attendees that it was the sixth alignment proposed by the highway concessionaire, Projek Lintasan Kota Sdn Bhd (Prolintas).

“Prolintas has not submitted any application to MBPJ, they are still looking for the right alignment. MBPJ has told them firmly that they have to first consult the affected residents, and we will not approve anything without public hearing,” Chan said.

Wong urged the concessionaire to look for other options, adding that the state was not in support of toll highways and she personally doubt DASH could alleviate traffic congestion in Bukit Lanjan.

“Instead, it may bring even more traffic into this area, it is already a huge ‘parking lot’ here every morning,” she said, adding that the state government had not given the green light to any of the three applications filed to build toll highways in the state.

“The DASH project will also involve amendments to the Petaling Jaya City Plan 2 and Selangor Structural Plan as it is a new addition, therefore public hearing is compulsory,” she added.

She suggested that DASH’S alignment be moved to Persiaran Surian if the project was to proceed anyway. The suggestion was supported by attendees.

Residents’ association chairman David Chai said there was no sufficient space behind Jalan PJU 7/30 for the construction of the highway.

“In the event that the highway topples, it will hit all the two rows of superlink houses in Phase 10,” he said.

He added that residents were also worried that vibration from the work might cause damage to the buildings, and the proximity of the highway might also bring down real estate values.

On top of that, dust, smoke and noise would further pollute the densely populated area, he added.

He said residents would meet Prolintas, on the latter’s invitation, on March 7 to express their concerns and to hand over the residents’ signatures collected.

Prolintas’ earlier proposed alignment involving Jalan PJU 7/7 and PJU 7/1 was protested against by another group of residents, Mutiara Damansara Owners and Residents Association.