‘Reduce park closure duration’

RESIDENTS of Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) in Kuala Lumpur are urging authorities to shorten the 18-month planned closure of Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara for landscaping and upgrades.

They said that the park is frequented by many TTDI residents as well as those from other neighbourhoods.

“The residents are currently working with the relevant authorities, namely Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and Landscape Department (JLN) to look into the partial closure of the park,” said Friends of Bukit Kiara (FoBK) president Leon Koay.

“A full closure is not ideal and the residents had urged authorities to leave open unaffected parts of the park during a June 19 town hall session, and JLN has agreed to look into the matter.

“We had also requested that the time taken for the project be shortened as the park is used by many people,” he said.

The initial closure of the park was scheduled for June 10 but was delayed to July 8 upon residents’ requests.

The upgrading project at Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara is estimated to cost RM6mil.

Residents are also calling for repairs to the suspension bridge. — Photos: FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

It includes desilting the park’s pond, stream restoration, sediment basin rehabilitation and other pond rehabilitation works as well as repairs for pond railings and park lighting.

The project will take 18 months and requires that the park be closed for the entire period as a safety precaution.

Several other concerns raised by FoBK included the use of artificial lighting which should not have an adverse impact on nocturnal animals, a management plan to redirect the public to nearby recreational spaces such as Bukit Kiara and Taman Rimba Kiara as well as traffic management to ensure the safety of pupils from SK TTDI 2, which is located opposite the park’s entrance.

Koay said he hoped authorities could put up signage to redirect the public to nearby parks.

“There will definitely be more people visiting other parks and the authorities have to look at various aspects, including additional parking spaces,” he said.

Frequent park-goer and TTDI resident Pola Singh suggested that JLN look into opening the entrance of the park at the cul de sac of Jalan Datuk Sulaiman 5 so visitors could access unaffected parts of the park during upgrading works.

“There, visitors can still walk on the hilly part of Taman Persekutuan without entering the construction area,” he said.

Pola also emphasised the need to upgrade the suspension bridge inside the park as part of the project.

“We learnt that the tender for the bridge upgrading was previously unsuccessful.

“I was told the project is pending input from Federal Territories Putrajaya Public Works Department (JKR).

“We want it to be done concurrently with the upgrades so that the park will not be closed once again,” he said.

Pola also urged the authorities to fix the broken pond railings and wobbly exercise equipment as well as reopen the toilets located inside the park.

Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh’s political secretary Yap Yee Vonne said a meeting with the main stakeholders would be held this week.