KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — A planned access road and car park to support a condominium development at Taman Rimba Kiara in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) here could take up to 12 per cent of the public park’s land, Save Taman Rimba Kiara claimed today.
The group coordinator, Leon Koay, said the proposed road plan made available through affidavits filed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) showed that additional land from the 13.3 acres of Taman Rimba Kiara on Lot 55118 will be taken away to support the proposed mixed development that will take place on the upper parts of the park now demarcated as Lot PT9244.
“DBKL plans to create access into the proposed development area by building an elevated ramp from Jalan Wan Kadir that passes through the 13.3-acre footprint. The indications we have are the roadworks will eat up at least 1.3 to 1.4 acres, or at least 10 percent of the remaining footprint.
“DBKL also stipulates that 60 new car park lots will be constructed within the 13.3 acres footprints, to replace the old parking lots in the upper section to accommodate Taman Rimba Kiara users. This would eat up another 0.25 to 0.3 acres of land being taken up, or 2 to 2.25 percent,’’ he said.
“If they go through with this, it would mean a total of 10 to 12 per cent of land in the existing 13.3 acres will be taken up, which defeats the notion by the Federal Territories Minister (Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor) and DBKL that they would not touch Taman Rimba Kiara,’’ he added.
Koay said the group has always said that Taman Rimba Kiara consists of the total 25 acres covered by Lot 55118 and they stand by the assertion.
The plot of land was halved when the project site, which now carries Lot number PT9244 with the title issued on August 11, 2014, was given to Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan for the purpose of mixed development.
DBKL has also failed to put into account the proper flow of traffic back into TTDI from the proposed development, Koay said.
“For the first time since the Taman Rimba Kiara issue arose in June 2016, TTDI residents have gotten sight the traffic impact assessment report. It claims all traffic flowing out of the proposed development will be channelled out to Jalan Damansara, however, u-turn is incorporated that will allow traffic back into Jalan Wan Kadir, which will overflow into the rest of TTDI.
“Out of the 4,000 new vehicles expected around the proposed development, we can expect 2,000 vehicles to flow back into TTDI,’’ Koay said.
Another issue would be the awkward traffic layout that shows a flyover will be built from Jalan Damansara, running under the MRT line and over Sungai Penchala to land in Jalan Wan Kadir 5 said Koay.
“This flyover itself is problematic as it appears to involve major work on top of Sungai Penchala. It appears that there will be significant intervention with the flow and hydrology of Sungai Penchala, giving rise to a heightened risk of flooding, especially to the nearby Plaza TTDI which have suffered several incidences of flooding due to works are done on the river during the Mass Rapid Transit construction,’’ said Leon.
Pre-empting against another supposed abuse of land use, TTDI resident association president Hafiz Abu Bakar said they have asked DBKL about a field located in front of Medan Athinahapan, where they received information that plans have been made by private developers to purchase and develop the land.
“We have asked DBKL to confirm that there would be no development on the land since last year. However, [we have] received no response yet
“The land is intended for community use and if any construction to take place it would be constricted to a community hall or sports facilities,’’ he said.
This follows an application received by DBKL by the new landowners of Tadika Diyana, located at Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 1, to change the land use from residential to commercial.
The land is now being a proposed for development of two seven-storey office buildings meant for commercial use, which angered many residents living in the vicinity, said Hafiz.
“We will submit our official objection letter along with over 1,400 resident letters today.
“By right, DBKL should not entertain such request as the land is meant for residential or the use of a public institution,’’ said Hafiz.
Hafiz urged DBKL to honour the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 or it would end up alienating residents, leaving them feeling cheated.
“Homeowner purchase properties with eyes wide open. They did not expect the homes and neighbourhood where they wish to grow old could be treated in such manner.
“It is a fair assessment that TTDi residents and many others in the city whose neighbourhood faced the same predicament are beleaguered on mass overdevelopment,’’ he said.
The affidavits were made available due to an ongoing judicial review for the proposed development in Taman Rimba Kiara filed by TTDI residents against DBKL.
The High Court has dismissed a stay application by residents to halt any action taken to build the proposed condominium project.
The suburban residents have been ordered to pay RM40,000 upon losing their application. They are currently seeking public donations.
The case management is set to be on April 18 this year.
