Mall set to open its doors

Work in progress: Construction workers using heavy machinery to complete the stretch from Jalan Harapan to the shopping mall.

Traffic in Petaling Jaya is set to worsen when another shopping mall opens its doors soon unless the council speeds up work on the missing links and other alternative roads.

During a check yesterday, construction workers were busy completing the exterior of the mall while bulldozers and excavators continued to use a short stretch of the road which connects the mall to Jalan Harapan (Jalan 17/47).

The stretch had been tarred and some workers were busy working on the pavements. However, the stretch links it to an unnamed road behind two blocks of low-cost flats and shoplots.

The advertisments placed by the developer states that the five-level SStwo Mall is positioned to be a lifestyle neighbourhood centre and would be open by early next year.

A representative from developer IJM when contacted said their task was only to complete the part that connected Jalan Harapan and the mall’s parking entrance and exit point.

He also said the mall would not aggravate the traffic situation in the area as it had another entrance and exit point in Jalan 2/72.

Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya city councillor for the area Mak Khuin Weng said the MBPJ had approved the budget for work in Jalan Harapan as well as chosen a consultant for the remaining road work in the area which included a link from Jalan Harapan to the Sprint Highway.

He said the council was facing some technical problems and needed approval from the state government.

“Once we have appointed the consultant formally, we will give them to a month to prepare the relevant information and plans for the area.

“The residents will then be called by MBPJ for a meeting with the consultant,” said Mak.

At the council’s full board meeting yesterday, MBPJ mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman said a temporary measure to ease traffic from the Rothman’s roundabout was to introduce a traffic light system.

He also said a flyover had been proposed to be built over the Rothman’s roundabout but that this would have be discussed first with the residents at the Special Area Plan hearing for Section 13.

By The Star (by Christina Low) (Posted on 24th December 2009)