23 June 2016

HAS THE CORPSE OF KiDEX RISEN FROM THE GRAVE?

On 16 February 2015, Selangor State Chief Minister (Menteri Besar) Azmin Ali announced his government's decision to cancel the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (KiDEX), an elevated tolled highway which would run from the Sprint Highway to Kinrara, passing through residential and commercial areas of Petaling Jaya along its way.



In his media statement in Malay bearing the Selangor State Government logo and published on his official web page, Azmin said:-

KENYATAAN MEDIA YAB DATO’ MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR

16 Februari 2015

Pembatalan Projek Lebuhraya Kinrara Damansara (KIDEX)

Kerajaan Negeri Selangor mengamalkan pendekatan mengambil kira pandangan orang ramai dalam menentukan kelulusan sesebuah projek agar ia membawa manfaat menyeluruh. Selain dari pembangunan ekonomi, pentadbiran Negeri Selangor turut menitikberatkan sumbangan sosial dan manusiawi dalam setiap projek yang diluluskan. Dasar pembangunan berkualiti, rakyat dipeduli akan menjadi teras dalam setiap pembangunan di Negeri Selangor.

Pertikaian mengenai kelulusan Lebuhraya Kinrara Damansara (KIDEX) sebelum ini banyak berkisar kepada persoalan – persoalan ini.

Kerajaan Negeri telah menggunapakai maklum balas orang ramai yang terbabit untuk menetapkan syarat – syarat khusus yang perlu dipatuhi. Kerajaan Negeri juga berpendirian bahawa pembinaan lebuhraya dalam Negeri Selangor perlulah bermanfaat bukan sahaja kepada pengguna lebuhraya tetapi juga dinikmati oleh penduduk di mana lebuhraya itu dibina. Pendirian ini telah diluluskan dalam pembentangan Belanjawan Negeri Selangor 2015 di Persidangan Dewan Negeri Selangor pada 24 November 2014.

Justeru, pihak konsesi KIDEX perlu memenuhi syarat – syarat berikut :

1. Menyediakan Penilaian Impak Lalulintas (Traffic Impact Assessment) yang bebas, Penilaian Impak Sosial (Social Impact Assessment) dan Penilaian Impak Alam Sekitar (Environmental Impact Assessment). Kajian – kajian ini perlu membuktikan manfaat yang ternyata kepada pihak pengguna dan penduduk kawasan yang terlibat setelah mengambil kira kesan negatif yang timbul akibat pembinaan lebuhraya tersebut.

2. Mendedahkan kadar tol sepanjang tempoh konsesi termasuk segala kenaikan tol yang ditetapkan dalam konsesi. Pihak konsesi perlu memberikan anggaran rasmi jumlah tol yang akan dikutip dan kadar pulangan kepada pelaburan (rate of return to investment).

3. Mendedahkan perjanjian konsesi sepenuhnya untuk mematuhi dasar kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat yang menegaskan ketelusan dan kebertanggungjawaban.

Kerajaan Negeri telah memaklumkan kepada KIDEX untuk mematuhi syarat – syarat ini sebelum 14 Februari 2015. Oleh kerana tidak ada satu pun syarat – syarat ini yang dipatuhi oleh KIDEX setelah tempoh masanya tamat, maka Kerajaan Negeri Selangor dengan ini mengumumkan pembatalan Projek Lebuhraya Kinrara Damansara (KIDEX).

Pendekatan yang sama akan digunakan dalam mempertimbangkan permohonan kelulusan oleh lebuhraya – lebuhraya lain yang dicadangkan pada masa depan di bawah bidang kuasa Kerajaan Negeri Selangor.

MOHAMED AZMIN ALI

http://azminali.com/kenyataan-media-pembatalan-projek-lebuhraya-kinrara-damansara-kidex/

Azmin basically said:-

"The State Government has informed the KIDEX to comply with the conditions before February 14 , 2015. Since none of the conditions - conditions which are observed by KIDEX after the time period expires , the Selangor State Government is announcing cancellation Kinrara Damansara ( KIDEX )."

The three conditions referred not met by the above deadline are:-

1. Provide Traffic Impact Assessment ( Traffic Impact Assessment) are independent , Social Impact Assessment ( Social Impact Assessment) and Environmental Impact Assessment ( Environmental Impact Assessment) . The study - this study should prove useful as it appears to users and residents of the affected areas after taking into account the negative effects arising from the construction of the expressway .

2. Disclose the toll rates over the concession period including any toll increases set out in the concession . The concessionaire must provide an official estimate of the amount of toll to be collected and the rate of return on investment ( rate of return to investment ) .

3. Disclose the concession agreement is fully in compliance with government policies that affirm PR transparency and accountability.


However, when it seemed that KiDEX had forever been laid to rest, less than two weeks ago on 12 June 2016, a neighbour in Section 14 Petaling Jaya showed us this brochure bearing the name of a company - PJD Link (M) Sdn. Bhd., which describes its proposed Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) - a four-lane elevated expressway starting from the North Klang Valley Expressway intersection and ending at the connection to the Bukit Jalil Highway. Alon the PJD Link's route, will be access points to/from Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Petaling Jaya, Taman dato' Harun, Taman Medan baru, Taman Sri Manja and Bandar Kinrara.

(If you cannot see the enclosed brochure, maps or photos below, please enable "viewing images" in your e-mail client or viewer.)
(Please click on the picture to enlarge)


On the reverse side of this brochure is a map showing the route of the proposed PJD Link will run past the front of Tropicana City Mall and Damansara Intan, then swing right and run down the land near the borders of Section 17 and Section 19 till it reaches the former Rothmans Roundabout, then along Jalan Semangat and quite literally run right through the middle of Section 14, Petaling Jaya on its way to the Bukit Jalil Highway.
More particularly, it will swing right past the Quill building on Jalan Semangat, then past the Mosque, then along the Sungai Pencala river reserve immediately behind the offices in the Right Angle and homes along Jalan 14/28 and Jalan 14/30, then swing right at Jalan 14/15 (Dato' Jamil Rais) and continue past the front of Millennium Square, quite probably requiring the acquisition and demolition of a cluster of homes on Jalan 14/15, in front of Millennium Square.


You can also watch a video narrative of the issue by clicking on the link below to play the video.




For a real world view, the proposed PJD Link will come running down the river as seen from Millennium Square in the picture below:-


It will then swing past the front of Millennium Square, quite probably requiring the acquisition and demolition of the homes in the foreground of the picture below.



We neighbours of Section 14, Petaling Jaya are very concerned about the traffic noise, pollution due to dust, petrol and diesel fumes from an expressway running so close to our homes, and the loss of the peace and serenity of our mature, friendly, multi-ethnic, neighbourhood, established in the 1950s or very early 1960s.

My neighbours and I are also very concerned that the proposed PJD Link, if constructed  will negatively impact upon the value of our properties in Section 14, especially of those properties nearest to the PJD Link - i.e. Jalan 14/28, Jalan 14/30, Jalan 14/15, those apartments in Millennium Square overlooking the river, the businesses in Millennium Square which overlook the river and also residents of Menara Jaya next to Millennium Square, whose apartments face the expressway.

CHARLES F. MOREIRA

 




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