BY CAVINA LIM

Ravinder pointing to the Jalan Permatang Damar Laut-Jalan Batu Maung junction where many motorists from several residential areas often make U-turns.

A RETIRED lecturer has urged the authorities responsible for supervising the road upgrading works from Batu Maung to Bayan Lepas in Penang to install traffic lights at a junction located along a sharp curve.

Ravinder Singh, 75, said traffic lights should quickly be installed at the Jalan Permatang Damar Laut-Jalan Batu Maung junction to help curb accidents as motorists from several residential areas had to make U-turns at the site.

The Batu Maung resident said traffic from Sunway Cassia, Desa Jelita, Desa Wangsa and Taman Permatang Indah, which previously could turn right, had been diverted to turn left and make a U-turn at the curve which he described as a ‘blind corner’.

“This has posed a very dangerous situation as those making the U-turn have to look out for speeding vehicles from the other direction.

“Vehicles waiting to make the U-turn are also in danger of being hit from the rear as they are not clearly visible from a distance but only after one begins taking the bend,” he said.

Ravinder, who is also Consumers Association of Penang complaints section head, said work on the road widening project from Batu Maung to Bayan Lepas started some two years ago and was expected to be completed by the end of next year.

He said traffic lights that were supposed to be installed at the junction should be set up now and not at the tail end of the project.

“Measures must also be taken to ensure that traffic from Bayan Lepas to Batu Maung slows down sufficiently before reaching this junction and keeps strictly to the left lane to enable other vehicles to make the U-turn safely.

“Widening the road to a two-lane dual carriageway has encouraged people to speed.

“Measures to prevent rear-end collisions with vehicles waiting to U-turn must also be put in place,” Ravinder added.

There is also a small road leading to a resettlement area at the junction.

When contacted, Batu Maung assemblyman Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim said safety issues were being look at by engineers and consultants.

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