Pylons erected on busy stretch annoy residents

What say you on the issue below?

A LONG line of high-voltage transmission cable pylons stretching from Taman Connaught to Bandar Mahkota Cheras is still sticking out like a sore thumb.

The building of the 42m-high pylons in the middle of last year has sparked objection from the residents in the affected areas.

The project was part of Tenaga Nasional’s effort to improve electricity supply in the area by installing high tension cables capable of carrying up to 275kv.

Too close for comfort: The high-voltage transmission cable pylons are erected at a busy commercial area in Taman Connaught, Cheras.

The current capacity is only 33kv.

However, residents feel that the pylons are too close for comfort.

In the case of Taman Connaught, the pylons are erected along a busy street in the main commercial area.

The street is also the location of the night market on Wednesdays, which is touted to be one of the longest in the country.

“The residents in Taman Connaught will continue fighting for the transmission line to be realigned. It is too close to all these busy activities,” said Bandar Tun Razak MCA chairman Chiew Lian Keng.

He also highlighted that a car park was operating on the TNB reserve land near the pylon.

“We have complained to the operator but they are admant and continue to occupy the TNB reserve land,” he added.

Taman Connaught Residents Association chairman Margaret Aik hoped that TNB could be more sensitive to the residents in the area by not installing high-tension cables in a busy area.

Another resident, William Ho, said the move was unfair to the residents of Taman Connaught who would not benefit from the enhanced electricity supply.

“Taman Connaught is just a bypass for the transmission cables that serve other parts of Selangor. Why are the residents here forced to bear such inconveniences and possible health hazards?” he asked.

He said it was an old fashion move to erect such gigantic structures over an otherwise peaceful neighbourhood, adding that underground cables should be installed instead.

A TNB spokesman said the company was aware of the issue and discussions with the relevant parties were under way to reach a win-win solution.

Meanwhile, families on the third floor of Sri Pulau Pinang flats in Bandar Tun Razak, who were left homeless after a fire razed their homes last week, were allowed to move back home recently.

Chiew said the families on the fourth floor that was damaged in the fire were still staying at the Dewan Sri Pulau Pinang.

He said the families would be getting new units from DBKL.

He added that the eight affected families were given RM1,000 to RM2,300 from Barisan Bandar Tun Razak, RM1,000 from Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan and RM300 from DBKL to help them buy basic necessities.