Little India plagued by problems

Little India plagued by problems beneath the facade

BARELY eight months has passed since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh launched the multi million ringgit ‘Little India’ in Brickfields, however, Kuala Lumpur’s latest iconic landmark is beginning to show signs of decay.

Residents in Brickfields are blaming the condition on traders and eatery joints in the vicinity, claiming that the operators are not taking proper care of the place.

Others say Little India is suffering the effects of a rushed job.

Never-ending: Congestion in Brickfields due to double-parked vehicles.

A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said oil and grime had already seeped into the tiles on the five-foot way of the RM35mil project as restaurants lining the five-foot way were placing tables and chairs there.

“Not only are the tiles dirty from the food and drinks spilt on the floor, but they (restaurant operators) are denying the public their right of way,’’ she said, adding that the tactile block for the visually handicapped was completely blocked by chairs and tables.

Another resident who only wished to be identified as Uncle Siva, said apart from the tiles which were already showing signs of ageing, the shops and restaurants were also responsible in rubbish being thrown indiscriminately all over the place.

“Rubbish bins have been provided, but people are not throwing their garbage inside the bins, but merely dumping it beside the bins. They expect Alam Flora workers to do it,’’ he said.

A check by StarMetro showed the colours of the Palava-inspired columns or pillars fronting both sides of Little India were fading, while some of the pillars had their stones chipped away.

Cracks were also found on plant boxes on the side of the road which had the words ‘Little India’.

In some areas, banners and bunting put up by store owners have faded and some were torn, while illegal posters have been pasted on walls by the sides of the shops.

The most disturbing sight was the rubbish littered all over the place.

It was thrown in front of the shops and near backlane of the stalls selling flowers and fruits.

The Jalan Tun Sambanthan pedestrian bridge was littered with rubbish along the steps and the walkway.

“On the surface Little India looks and feels grand — but without maintenance it won’t be long before it start falling apart,” said Palm Court Apartments resident M. Jeyasri.

“A lot of money has been spent to upgrade the area, at least there must be regular maintenance,’’ she added.

Another resident C.K. Leow said Little India is merely suffering the after effects of a rushed job.

“The reason why the paint is fading (from the pillars) is because the concrete was not allowed to dry properly before it was painted,’’ he said.

“Concrete must be allowed to dry for at least one month before it is painted — only then will the paint stay on longer,’’ added Leow.

Leow believes that contractors involved in the project did not do a good job as they were rushing to meet the deadline set by the Government.

Brickfields Rukun Tetangga chairman S.K.K. Naidu said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) was offering free guided tours to tourists every Saturday, hence he advised the authority to monitor the cleanliness of the area. “It would be a shame if they (tourists) saw a dirty Little India,’’ he said.

Meanwhile congested traffic is still the order of the day as the scourge of double parking reigns supreme.

Despite regular enforcement by DBKL, people are still double and triple parking causing a major congestion day and night and the the situation is getting worse.

The residents are blaming the restaurant operators saying that by placing the tables and chairs outside their premises; they are encouraging people to park by the side of the road.

When contacted the Brickfields Business Council (BBC) said it should not be blamed for the condition that Little India was currently in.

BBC Secretary-general A. Karupiah defended its members by saying that the business operators made it a point to wash the area every night after they closed up.

Karupiah blamed the residents living in the shophouses above for not disposing of the rubbish properly.

“They (residents) refuse to throw the rubbish into the bins provided, and sometime scavengers looking for materials for recycling, often do not place the rubbish back into the bins once they are done collecting their materials,’’ he said.

On the operators placing tables and chairs on the five-foot way, Karupiah said that eating in the open air was a Malaysian habit that people loved.

“Besides, the rentals are high and the space inside the outlets are too small; they need to put the tables and chairs outside to make a living,’’ he said.

On the congestion caused by the restaurant patrons double and triple parking, Karupiah said: “We have advised the youths not to park there but they never listen, ’’ he said.

Karupiah said the DBKL had been informed to tow double-parked vehicles or those blocking traffic.

~News courtesy of The Star~