KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 — The Kuala Lumpur City Grand Prix is revving up the wrong tones.

Concrete and metal fences barricading five main arteries in the heart of town —  Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan P. Ramlee and Jalan Ampang —  are not only an eyesore but have raised serious security concern.

The three-day event from August 7-9 will see roads closed from 6pm on August 6 to 5am on August 10.

Police, for one, are unimpressed with the safety aspects, adding there have been more questions than answers as thunderous engines roar at lightning speed down the freshly-tarred roads.

The publicity, or rather lack of it, has dampened the excitement of Kuala Lumpur hosting its first-ever street race which will place it on the world map alongside Monaco and Singapore.

This has resulted in those working, conducting businesses and living around the 3.2km “circuit” crying foul.

They claimed they are in the dark about the race and are thinking of alternatives to brave the traffic congestion.

Muslims will find it difficult to get to the iconic As Syakirin Mosque near KLCC to perform their Friday prayers.

Those who throng St John’s Cathedral for Sunday mass may also face traffic woes with the closure of Jalan Ampang.

Residents have even made plans to leave town, hoping to escape the potential madness.

Organised by GT Global Race (M) Sdn Bhd, the race has the likes of Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Sepang International Circuit as strategic partners.

City Hall has plenty of explaining to do especially after a taxi stand and bus stop were removed.

The barricades have “imprisoned” the public as passengers wanting to hail taxis or buses will have to find an opening between the barricades and stand on the road instead of the designated areas.

In some areas, pedestrians are forced to walk on the road, as observed by Malay Mail during a five-hour walkabout around the circuit yesterday.

With no proper stand in sight, one wonders where passengers will wait when it rains.

Taxi drivers, too, have voiced their grouses, complaining of a loss of income during race weekend.

Motorists have to negotiate narrow lanes. One cannot imagine the chaos in the city when KLites fully return from their Hari Raya break.

The thrill of having a race in the city has been sucked out, no thanks to what is perceived as poor planning.

And images of 17 spectators hurt, four seriously, during a drag race in Putrajaya in conjunction with the “Million Youths Rally 2012” reappears, a grim reminder safety cannot be taken lightly.