SMARTING from losses suffered during the Deepavali period, shopkeepers in Brickfields has threatened to take legal action against Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) if the local authority implements the bus lane/taxi system in KL’s Little India.
Business owners operating from the Public Bank right up to the Saravana Bhavan Restaurant in Jalan Tun Sambanthan said they anticipated more losses if the proposed bus lane mooted by the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry to ease congestion in Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad was carried out.
They are convinced that the bus lane running through Jalan Tun Sambanthan into Little India would worsen the traffic congestion in the township and would “kill” businesses in the long run.
No to bus lane: Business owners in Brickfields are against the proposed bus lane along the congested Jalan Tun Sambanthan. “My clinic and many businesses have suffered losses of thousands of ringgit during the Deepavali period when the bazaars blocked our path and caused chaos here. We expect the same to happen when DBKL implements the bus lane system,’’ said Dr R. Narkunan.
“The bus lane will take away our parking bays which have been reduced after the pavements were widened.
“The lack of parking space is causing people to double park as a result create greater congestion,’’ he added.
Dr. Narkunan said the root of the problem was insufficient parking.
“Once the bus lane is implemented, businesses including restaurants, banks, textile shops will have difficulty loading and unloading goods as there will be a bus lane in front of the shops going against traffic flow,’’ he said, adding that there was no parking bays for ambulances in case of an emergency.
Jassal Restaurant owner Amar Singh said once the bus lane system was implemented there would be a bus stop right in the front of his shop.
“The entire area will get dirty, drains will be clogged as people will be throwing rubbish into it and my shop’s toilet will become the official toilet for the public,’’ he said.
“And then City Hall will impose fines on our restaurants with dirty toilets.
“It is not that we want to keep our restaurants dirty, but it will be difficult to maintain cleanliness with so many people using the toilets,’’ he said.
Anjappar Restaurant manager K. Swaminathan said he was worried that business would drop once the bus lane was implemented while many small-time business owners were contemplating to pack up if business worsened.
They said 450 businesses had suffered losses amounting to thousands of ringgit during the Deepavali period.
This is the second group of businessmen in Brickfields who have voiced their concern over the proposed bus lane.
In August, the Brickfields Business Community Society (BBCS) held a press conference to voice their dissatisfaction over the plan, stating that it was a recipe for disaster.
Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin had earlier said the bus lane system was mooted after taking into consideration the views of all the stakeholders in Brickfields.
Nong Chik said he had spoken to the residents, schools, church, temple-goers, including the blind and disabled people on the matter and it was the best solution for all parties.
The bus lane is expected to be implemented next week and buses and taxis will run through the main road of Jalan Tun Sambanthan (from Esso/Public Bank) and cut off to Jalan Travers at the Little India Fountain and head to Seputeh through Jalan Tun Sambanthan (in front of Sri Paandi restaurant).
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