SHAH ALAM, Oct 7 — Petaling Jaya still lacks a sufficient network of safe pedestrian routes connecting public transport stations with residential and commercial areas, although improvements are being carried out in stages.
Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) councillor Loh Y Lun said the most critical issue was the lack of comprehensive first- and last-mile connectivity infrastructure, despite the city having 22 public transit stations comprising LRT, MRT and KTM services.
“Petaling Jaya has 22 public transit stations — LRT, MRT and KTM — but the network of safe pedestrian routes connecting commuters from these stations to residential or commercial areas remains inadequate.
“To address this, councillors, together with MBPJ’s Town Planning Department, are developing the Petaling Jaya Transport Master Plan to provide a more comprehensive solution,” he told Media Selangor.
Loh said pedestrian facilities and accessibility were proactively monitored, including through his own observations while taking different routes to work to assess conditions in the SS2 zone.
“At MBPJ, officers from the Engineering Department’s road unit also conduct patrols to identify road damage, while site visits with complainants and local leaders are carried out whenever complaints are received from residents.
“In addition, I initiated regular patrols with neighbourhood watch groups and residents’ associations. Since last year, more than 10 patrol sessions have been conducted, covering a total distance of more than 20 kilometres,” he said.
Loh said pedestrian access and connectivity were also among the issues frequently raised by residents and social media users, particularly on platforms such as Threads.
He said most of the infrastructure shortcomings were already being monitored through a series of ongoing engagements with various stakeholders.
“The level of intervention depends on the scale of the problem. Some defects have been rectified, while others already have approved plans for solutions. Projects requiring substantial funding will be carried out under long-term planning,” he said.
He added that the issues were also raised and monitored through the Infrastructure and Public Facilities Committee, Planning Committee and Road Maintenance Subcommittee until they were resolved.
“If an issue is complex, a task force can be established to conduct site visits and examine the problem in detail.
“Among the priorities that still need greater attention are providing more pedestrian crossings at busy intersections and upgrading existing zebra crossings to raised crossings,” he said.
