Build the station elsewhere, Prasarana told

Residents of Kampung Sri Aman (KSI) Puchong who are on the verge of losing their homes due to the construction of an LRT depot called on Syarikat Prasarana Negara to reconsider the three alternative routes proposed.

KSI action committee secretary Rosman Rashid said the three suggested sites are Tmn Mas Sepang, empty land next to USJ-Shah Alam toll and USJ 24, which are all high-density areas.

“It will be best to relocate it to Tmn Mas Sepang because there is a piece of empty land that belongs to the local council, so Prasarana does not need to acquire any land,” he said.

The alternative route proposed by the villagers will use government land at Tmn Mas Sepang.

“The place surrounded by Tmn Putra Prima, Tmn Saujana Prima, Tmn Puchong Tekali and Tmn Putra Impiana will just need a 2.3km extension from the original route.

“Prasarana has studied it and they should know the place promises a higher ridership.

“They will not need to compensate some 30 households who will lose their homes due to the project,” Rosman said.

The second and third alternative routes, both cater the higher-density areas.

The residents were shocked and puzzled when they were told about the acquisition of their land to build the twelfth station on the Kelana Jaya LRT extension in October 2009.

They were not given notice about the 30 homes being listed on the compulsory land acquisition notice issued by MPSJ.

When they demanded clarifications on how the decision was made, their efforts were in vain.

“They rejected the alternative route as they claimed it will meet some pylons, but aren’t they crossing some pylons at Tmn Puchong Permai too if they stick to their old plan?”

The residents also made it clear that trains hould ease the traffic congestion, not worsen it.

“By building (it) in our village, we will suffer a massive jam caused by the traffic flowing in and out everyday.

“Why don’t they just relocate it to a place where roads are wider and land is abundant?”

Prasarana announced recently that it has obtained the approval from Department of Railway to kickstart the LRT extension project by year end.

They were however required to present more information to convince the state government and the residents to endorse their projects.

Their weekly meeting has entered the third week and Prasarana is still requested to furnish more documents as residents from KSA and Saujana Residency are up in arms against the project.