Should have given you all the heads up on this, but I myself had nearly missed this documentary on the SMART (Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel) project, which was shown yesterday (Aug 29) at 9pm, as a special feature in Discovery Channel’s Extreme Engineering show. Extreme it was indeed.
Here’s what it’s gonna look like:-
Here’s what it’s gonna look like:-
The upper dual levels are for motor-traffic and bottom-most path is the waterway. The concept, as I understand it, is that if there were massive floods, the 2-level roads will be closed for traffic and the whole 3 levels will be used to drain flood waters.
For more info, go to http://www.smarttunnel.com.my/
While I am duly impressed with the technical and construction efforts behind this gigantic project, I question the need for such an expensive project. They tell us that the almost RM2billion project will improve traffic and control flooding. Mind you, it’s purely for KL City Centre. And yes, every Malaysian citizen is paying tax to fund this massive job. Yes, I understand the importance of having to eliminate the problems that flashfloods cause, but really, can we afford this? Don’t we (in KL) only get flashfloods during the monsoon season, ie May to September? Are there really no other better alternatives? Couldn’t they just build massive drains? Couldn’t we wait till our economy was somewhat stronger before ‘draining’ our resources on this? Shouldn’t our tax money be used to serve a bigger audience, and not just the KL-ites? By the way, we have to pay 40 years worth of toll fare for this. No cause to be critical? What are your thoughts on this?
For more info, go to http://www.smarttunnel.com.my/
While I am duly impressed with the technical and construction efforts behind this gigantic project, I question the need for such an expensive project. They tell us that the almost RM2billion project will improve traffic and control flooding. Mind you, it’s purely for KL City Centre. And yes, every Malaysian citizen is paying tax to fund this massive job. Yes, I understand the importance of having to eliminate the problems that flashfloods cause, but really, can we afford this? Don’t we (in KL) only get flashfloods during the monsoon season, ie May to September? Are there really no other better alternatives? Couldn’t they just build massive drains? Couldn’t we wait till our economy was somewhat stronger before ‘draining’ our resources on this? Shouldn’t our tax money be used to serve a bigger audience, and not just the KL-ites? By the way, we have to pay 40 years worth of toll fare for this. No cause to be critical? What are your thoughts on this?
2 comments:
I don't care how much it cost, I just want to know that it will really work. I wonder what they will say when flood still happen after this project is fully implemented.
Who is going to taichi to who?
jt, good point. but, since they had contracted a german co. for this, shd it fail, they (ministry of transport, does it fall within their jurisdiction) will most likely blame them german engineers. :S
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