Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has recently announced a trial partial closure of Jalan Raja. The affected stretch of road is in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, from the junction of Jalan Tun Perak to the intersection with Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
The purpose of this closure is to create a more pedestrian friendly and organised city centre. According to DBKL, this closure would help to provide a safe space for pedestrians, especially for families, children, elderly and disabled people.
Additionally, the enhanced environment is expected to stimulate the local economy by creating opportunities for small vendors, supporting creative entrepreneurs, and boosting the urban tourism industry. “By making the city centre less congested and more focused on human interaction, Kuala Lumpur can progress toward becoming a more balanced, inclusive, and identity-rich metropolitan city,“DBKL said in a statement.
During the closure, directional signboards and on-site enforcement personnel will be deployed to assist road users in navigating the changes. Furthermore, light vehicles travelling from Jalan Raja will be allowed to turn right, however vehicles from Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Tun Perak will not be allowed to enter Jalan Raja.
Additionally, DBKL announced that Go-KL and RapidKL Hop On Hop Off bus routes will be temporarily adjusted throughout the closure period. “Passengers are advised to check with their respective service operators for updated route and stop information,” DBKL added.
Since this is a trial, the City Hall is also running a public survey, linked here, and requesting the people to give their thoughts on this initiative. “All feedback received will be reviewed and used as the basis for assessing the effectiveness of this trial and for making decisions on long-term implementation in the future,” the City Hall said.
(Source: DBKL Facebook Page / NST)
