Can Puduraya be ready by Hari Raya?
After almost four months since its temporary closure on April 12, traders there were not hopeful it would reopen by next month and lamented the continued loss of business.
Restaurant manager Nagoor Pitchay Paker Mohamad, 56, said he was told renovations would be completed on Sept 1, but was doubtful the developer could finish on time as the upgrading work was slow.
"Many passers-by and foreigners kept asking about Puduraya, up to a point that I can only shake my head."
Running a 24-hour restaurant in Jalan Pudu for 32 years, he said their revenue was reduced by more than 80 per cent.
"We used to bring in around RM4,000 a day but after Puduraya was shut down, we can barely make RM800 a day.
"The faster Puduraya reopens, the better. We are heavily dependant on travellers and tourists as they are our main customer base. The terminal's closure is bad for business"
Sahdan Latiff, 20, who works at his relative's street stall selling clothing and accessories, said business was badly hit by the dust from the upgrading works. He has to dust off the items in the stall two to three times a day even though they have placed a plastic cover around the stall perimeter.
Sahdan described the work rate as "dawdling". "We can only pray the terminal will be completed as scheduled. If not, it won't only be traders who will be affected. More importantly, those using public transport to balik kampung during Raya will surely face chaos."
A budget hotel manager in the Puduraya area, Edward Kulanthai, 39, was optimistic about Puduraya's completion schedule. "I believe they can make it, but it all depends on their manpower.
"I used to see work during the day. Over the past two weeks, they have been working day and night."
He also expressed concern if the terminal did not reopen on time.
"I am not certain the temporary terminals in Bukit Jalil and other alternatives, like the bus depot in Jalan Hang Tuah and Hentian Duta can handle the volume, unless there are crowd control measures like limiting the time buses can be inside the terminal."
Credits to and source taken from: http://www.mmail.com.my/
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