Peremba Construction recently secured a RM 528.88 million flood mitigation project to alleviate the ongoing incidences of massive flooding that have for years now been plaguing the city of Kuala Lumpur. The project awarded by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia is heralded as a key component in the socio-economic development of the city. The package is an advance work being a part of the overall Kuala Lumpur Flood Mitigation (KLFM) Project.

The award is an important recognition of Peremba Construction’s capability in handling significant infrastructure projects.

Project director, En. Ahmad Hanif Abdul Samad explains that the Kuala Lumpur Flood Mitigation Project consists of two important components, the first of which comprises the upgrading of the present Gombak Diversion Scheme to channel more flood flow from Sungai Gombak to Batu Pond.

This involves the construction of a barrage, parallel diversion channels to divert additional flows, excavation and enlargement of Batu Pond to increase its storage capacity to 4.5 million cubic meters and construction of other associated works such as additional inlets, trash screens, outlet gates, ogee weirs and floodwalls.

The other component is the development of a new diversion scheme to channel flood flow from Sungai Keroh to the Jinjang Ponds. This will involve construction of a barrage, minor works at Sri Segambut Pond, construction of a new diversion channel, excavation and enlargement of the Jinjang Ponds to increase the storage capacity to 2.5 million cubic meters, and construction of other associated works such as additional inlets, trash screens, outlet gates, ogee weirs and floodwalls.

The diversion channels connecting the two retention ponds involving the Sungai Gombak and Sungai Keroh stretch about 5.6 kilometres. The KLFM project aims to divert storm water from entering the city centre, by creating two holding basins i.e. the Batu and Jinjang retention ponds linked by the two diversion channels i.e. the Keroh and Gombak channels.

There is also a great potential for the storage ponds to be converted into a recreational area for KLites owing to the lush greenery surrounding the ponds.

The KLFM project is expected to alleviate city dwellers’ perennial headache of having to deal with preventable floods. Peremba Construction is also proposing two additional smaller retention basins be built at Kg Puah (Gombak) and Kg Benteng (Keroh) to keep the final downstream discharge within the existing river capacity. KLFM Package B will complement Package A (not undertaken by Peremba Construction) to form a total solution to the flooding problem in Kuala Lumpur.

The KLFM project commenced in the third quarter of 2003 and is expected to be completed in 2007. Ultimately, the KLFM project is indeed very crucial for Kuala Lumpur as each time the city is hit by flash floods, the losses and damages amount to millions of ringgit.

a. Diversion channel connection at Kg. Changkat (Missing Link) - The existing channel is based on JPS’s old design (to divert 60 Cumecs). Work has been completed with consideration of future channel design, based on Peremba’s proposal to JPS to divert to 275 Cumecs.

b. Pond enlargement - Enlargement of Batu Pond to cater water capacity from 2.5 million cubic meters to 4.5 million cubic meters. Works include earthworks, bank protection and slope protection works.