a day ago
Safety fears over dirty, unlit Jln Tun Razak walkway
A pedestrian on a stretch of the walkway along Jalan Tun Razak that is partially blocked from motorists' view by an elevated slip road next to it.
A DIRTY and unlit walkway along Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, is sparking safety concerns among regular users.
Elena Mei Yun said a portion of the walkway was not visible to motorists on Jalan Tun Razak as it was blocked by an elevated slip road connected to the Kampung Pandan roundabout.
'The dirty condition and lack of lights at that stretch makes it dark, creepy and prone to unsavoury elements,' she said.
Mei, who takes the path to work, added: 'I usually use that stretch of walkway before 7am.
'It is still quite dark then, so I am fearful of getting robbed.'
During a recent visit, StarMetro observed that the walkway was littered with leaves, while the stretch blocked from view by the elevated slip road was also quite narrow.
Mei said she lodged a complaint with Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) on June 4, requesting the agency clean the walkway.
'Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, the concession company under SWCorp which is responsible for public cleansing work in Kuala Lumpur, then called me to explain that cleaning work for the walkway was not under Kuala Lumpur City Hall's (DBKL) jurisdiction as the highway concessionaire had not surrendered that portion to DBKL,' she said.
In a separate email response to Mei, SWCorp reiterated that as the cleaning job for the walkway had not been handed over, the agency was not authorised to work on the area.
Mei added that she had also lodged a complaint with DBKL about the problem, but was told the same thing – that the highway concessionaire had not surrendered the walkway to them.
'The walkway needs to be cleaned up regularly and made more pedestrian-friendly.
'Street lights should also be installed for pedestrian safety,' she said.
Meanwhile, Bike Commute Malaysia director Justin Lee said the walkway was open and clean in 2018 when the elevated slip road was still under construction, citing images captured by Google Maps at the time.
'Like many flyovers that have been introduced recently, pedestrian space is not considered.
'In this case, pedestrian safety and accessibility are compromised when the walkway is squeezed beside the flyover, which should not have been built alongside walkways,' he said.
Lee called for a guideline to clearly outline the minimum requirements for pedestrian walkways so future projects do not compromise such infrastructure.
StarMetro reached out to DBKL and SWCorp for comments, but neither provided a response at press time.
