【05】Do you think Old Klang Road is just a road? There's a lot of history behind it!
【05】Do you think Old Klang Road is just a road? There's a lot of history behind it!
（Image Source：River of life）
1. Old Klang Road (OKR) has a history of 111 years and is the oldest major road in Klang Valley. It was built by the British colonial government in 1905 and officially opened in 1908.
2. This road was constructed long before the Federal Highway. At the time, it was the main route connecting Kuala Lumpur to Klang and its port. Initially, the road was named after its destination, but as more connecting roads were added, the word "Old" was included in its name.
3. Today, Old Klang Road stretches 11 km, starting from Seputeh, next to Mid Valley Megamall. It passes through several areas, including Seputeh, Kuchai Lama, OUG, and Greater Petaling Jaya.
4. Kuchai Lama and OUG are two residential areas along Old Klang Road, mainly populated by Chinese, followed by Malays and Indians. Other residential areas nearby include Seputeh and Taman Desa.
5. Taman Desa was developed in the 1970s. Although it's an old neighborhood, its convenience and proximity to the city center make it highly desirable. Seputeh, located near KL Sentral, has more high-end residential projects, attracting higher-income groups.
6. In contrast, Kuchai Lama and OUG are farther from KL Sentral and are relatively older areas with fewer high-end commercial buildings compared to other parts of Old Klang Road.
7. Traffic congestion has always been an issue on Old Klang Road, especially during peak hours, where vehicles often line up in long queues. In 2010, the government allocated RM359 million for major road expansion works. However, despite the widened roads, continuous increases in vehicles and population have kept traffic congestion a problem.
8. To ease traffic congestion, the highly anticipated Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya MRT Line (MRT SSP Line), spanning 52.2 km, was planned, with a station set to be built in Kuchai Lama. The project was expected to be completed in 2022.
9. Additionally, the "River of Life" (ROL) project, launched by the federal government, aims to clean up the Klang and Gombak rivers to reduce pollution. This RM4.4 billion project is divided into three phases: river cleanup, master planning and landscaping, and riverfront development.
10. The River of Life project is expected to positively impact the real estate market along Old Klang Road, with developers potentially acquiring riverfront land for future property and commercial developments.
Malaysia
