Over 4 months after the tragic sinkhole incident, the Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) yesterday (31 December) announced that Jalan Masjid India has been fully reopened to the public, including the section of the street which has been closed since the incident in August.
On the morning of 23 August, 48-year-old Indian tourist G. Vijayalakshmi fell into an 8-metre-deep sinkhole that opened up at her feet. Despite efforts by the search and rescue operations, she was never found.
DBKL fully reopens Jalan Masjid India over 4 months after tragic sinkhole incident
In a statement, DBKL said that thanks to the dedication of all parties, the restoration and repair phase following the incident was successfully completed earlier than the February 2025 schedule.
DBKL elaborated that following the incident, it has established a special team to assess the safety of soil structures, provide technical recommendations, coordinate the actions of various agencies, and, at the same time, counter the negative perceptions that have arisen.
Among the external agencies involved were the Minerals and Geosciences Department, the Public Works Department (Geotechnical Engineering Branch), the Malaysian Institution of Engineers and the Malaysian Geotechnical Society.
Moreover, throughout the restoration and repair phase, detailed inspections were carried out, including deep boring tests, to determine the soil profile around Jalan Masjid India.
Specifically, four deep boring tests were conducted to assess the soil layers, and the findings have been included in the final report on the Jalan Masjid India incident.
Besides that, the repair works included fixing damaged sewage channels, restoring walkways at the incident’s ground zero, and upgrading the drainage system in the area around Wisma Melayu and Jalan Masjid India.
DBKL will continuously perform inspections in Jalan Masjid India and throughout Kuala Lumpur to ensure the safety of city folks
DBKL further announced that as a proactive measure, the city council will continuously perform inspections in conjunction with utility companies, not only in Jalan Masjid India but throughout Kuala Lumpur.
Furthermore, DBKL said that the RM10 million allocated by the Federal Government to the city council for 2025 will be used to conduct geotechnical research and utility mapping in the city’s commercial areas to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.
In the Facebook post, DBKL also shared photos at the incident site, including the reopening of the closed section of Jalan Masjid India.
With various agencies and the media in attendance, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Mohd Sharif can be seen symbolically cutting the DBKL barricade tape used to cordon off the area.
So, what do you guys think of the full reopening of Jalan Masjid India? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Also read: PLUS Malaysia: Sinkhole Reported on NKVE Near Kota Damansara, Certain Lanes Have Been Closed
