Puduraya shut down

THE Puduraya bus terminal was closed for at least the next four months but a trail of garbage has been left behind, making the place look like a dumping ground.

A check inside the terminal revealed that since early morning, the management had started tearing down the food court section comprising hawker stalls and steel structures and beams.

Currently, the only entry to the terminal is via the overhead bridge and taxi services to Genting Highlands and rental cars bound for the north and south still operate from here.

A level down, the terminal was devoid of the usual buzz and waiting passengers, save for some traders and security personnel hired by UDA Management to monitor the place.

RapidKL shuttle buses were provided to ferry passengers to and from Bukit Jalil, at a fee of RM2 with a frequency of 15 minutes.

However, notices informing passengers of where the shuttle bus services could be taken were only put up at 10.10am.

“Today, I met a luggage kiosk operator, who said a lot of luggage was still stored inside the terminal as they have not been claimed by the owners. He said he did not know what to do with the luggage,” Fong said after his morning visit to the site.

He also lashed out at the temporary bus terminal in Jalan Galloway/Jalan Hang Tuah, which he said was being abandoned despite being built for RM6mil.

The closure and relocation date was initially targeted for March 19 before being postponed to yesterday.

A media tour of the Bukit Jalil site was held on Sunday. There were 98 ticket counters, a waiting area with 3,000 seats and 24 food stalls capable of accommodating 600 customers at any one time.

A UDA press statement said an enquiry counter under the UDA Mall was also available at Puduraya and Bukit Jalil.

While Bukit Jalil accommodates North and South-bound travellers, those heading to the East Coast should go to Hentian Putra, which belongs to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

UDA also said the unused Hang Tuah facility was for urban buses that it said were already operating at the site.

The upgrading work at Puduraya is expected to take four months to complete.