Trees pruned as part of landscaping work

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PROLINTAS, the concessionaire for the Kemuning-Shah Alam Highway (LKSA), has given an assurance that the barren trees reported in StarMetro (‘Urban wasteland’, Nov 11) were merely part of its preliminary landscaping work.

“The trees at Bulatan Bunga Lawang (at the Persiaran Sultan interchange from the Federal High­way) were pruned, not chopped.

“All the existing trees, numbering about 140, will be maintained,” said Projek Lintasan Shah Alam Sdn Bhd (Prolintas) general manager Rostam Shahrif Tami.

“The six-month period for the landscaping work is the last package in the LKSA highway’s construction.”

Landscaping measures: The existing trees were merely pruned, and have already begun sprouting new leaves.

Rostam said Perunding TBG Land­scape & Environmental Design Consul­tants had been tasked with overseeing the landscaping from the Persiaran Sultan interchange to Kota Kemuning.

“The contract was awarded to landscaping contractor Garden Bay Sdn Bhd in mid-September, and on-site work began in October after the selected plants were confirmed,” he said.

“According to the new plan, there will be an increase in plants in terms of a 3:1 ratio at the Persiaran Sultan, Bulatan Jubli Perak and Bulatan Selangor interchanges.”

Perunding TBG Landscape & Environmental Design Consultants principal Danial A. Hasan cited several reasons for the need to prune the trees at Bulatan Bunga Lawang.

“In terms of safety, pruning the trees would help avoid property damage, prevent the branches from interfering with power or utility lines, and control the growth of branches within the available space.

“There is a health aspect as well: to remove diseased or pest-infected branches, increase air flow and reduce pest infestation, and increase sunlight to the ground,” he said.

“Pruning will also increase the area’s aesthetic value and reduce growth competition with the newly-planted plants.”

The LKSA’s landscaping project is estimated to cost RM3mil.

Danial said about 5,000 trees, 1,500 palms, 20,000 shrubs and 25,000 ground cover plants would be planted along the highway.

“We are also introducing some forest species at Bulatan Bunga Lawang, like Shorea sumatrana (Meranti), Hopea odorata (Merawan Siput Jantan), Agathis borneensis (Damar Minyak) and Dyera costulata (Jelutong).

“The landscaping plans have already been approved by the authorities, and are expected to be completed by March next year,” said Danial.

Rostam added that four to eight signboards would soon be placed at the Persiaran Sultan interchange to inform the public about the future landscape plans for the site.

On the 14.7km LKSA, Rostam said it would link the Shah Alam city centre to Kota Kemuning, and provide an alternative to head to Taman Sri Muda.

“We’ve spent a few hundred million ringgit to upgrade and widen the existing road along Persiaran Sultan, while its exits will be maintained in status quo. Part of the highway’s alignment is parallel to the existing Persiaran Sultan.

“Once the highway is completed, it will take motorists less than 10 minutes to get from Kota Kemuning to the Federal Highway,” he said.

The LKSA will have six interchanges at Kota Kemuning, Jalan Bukit Kemuning, Alam Impian, Bulatan Jubli Perak, Bulatan Selangor and Federal Highway Route 2, and two toll plazas located at Alam Impian and Sri Muda.