Brickfields traders in demo against contra lane

KUALA LUMPUR: About 50 Brickfields businessmen staged a protest on Jalan Tun Sambanthan today, calling on the authorities to close the new contra lane there.They said their businesses had suffered since the lane was opened and new traffic rules imposed on Dec 3.

The demonstrators belong to a newly formed group called Residents and Business People of Brickfields Movement."For the last two weeks, I have been receiving complaints from the business owners here that their revenue is down 50% since the contra road was opened,” said the movement’s pro-tem chairman, Dr R Narkunam.

Narkunam, a gynaecologist, said the prohibition of parking in certain areas was forcing his patients, including the pregnant ones, to walk long distances to his clinic."I dread to think of my patients' predicament if it is an emergency case."Last week, he said, a patient had to circle Brickfields four times before finding a place to park her car.

Amar Singh, who operates a restaurant that faces the contra lane, complained about the limited loading and unloading time set by City Hall—8pm to 6pm."We receive things almost all times as our business runs continuously,” he said. “Lorry drivers are now reluctant to come due to the hassle.”

Gejinder Nath Sharma, an accessory trader who has been in business in Brickfields for 15 years, said he had lost many regular customers since the lane came up."Last week, two of my aged customers said they had come to my shop for the last time. I’ve been doing business with them for years and years. They said it was hard to park their cars here and the distance is a hassle for them.”

The blind are suffering as well

The lane is also making life difficult for blind people, according to Moses Choo, an assistant executive director for the National Council for the Blind."Imagine that you own a house but you are not allowed to park in front of your house,” he said. “That's the situation here as the lane is right in front of our premises."

Choo, who is partly blind, runs a printing business. A number of his employees are blind and are normally chauffeured to work. Since the appearance of the contra lane, their drivers have had to drop them a long distance from the office.

"If normal people are complaining about walking long distances, imagine the inconvenience to a blind person," said Choo.He also said he now had to pay more money to lorry drivers and employees so that they would work at night to deliver and receive goods.

Narkunam said the business owners last November wrote complaint letters to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Federal Territories Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail and several other authorities.

"So far, only the Prime Minister's office has replied, saying they have directed the matter to the Federal Territories Ministry," he said.He also said the group was collecting signatures for a petition to be sent to City Hall and the Federal Territories Ministry.


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2012/01/19/brickfields-traders-in-demo-against-contra-lane/