KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) plans to close Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, which is better known as Jalan TAR, to traffic every Sunday from Sept 28.

Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said this was to encourage the culture of walking among city folk and that DBKL was conducting engagement sessions with the parties in the affected areas to enable the road closure to be realised.

"We want to close Jalan TAR from the junction of Jalan Esfahan until Jalan Tun Perak from 6 am to midnight so as to encourage the culture of walking among the public," he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Negara today.

He said this in response to a question by Senator Datuk Dr Dominic Lau Hoe Chai regarding efforts to upgrade the pedestrian infrastructure in Kuala Lumpur and the culture of 'willingness to walk' among city folk.

Jalaluddin said various programmes would be planned for implementation throughout the road closure, including performances by buskers, creative arts performances and traditional sports programmes.

He said DBKL was also studying plans to do the same from the junction of Jalan Pudu until the Jalan Bukit Bintang intersection.

On the pedestrian infrastructure upgrading project, Jalaluddin said a total of 23 areas had been identified.

"These projects are being planned so that they have a complete network and, once completed, will give a new image or rebranding to the areas involved and can indirectly be used as tourist attractions," he said.

Replying to a supplementary question by Senator Datuk Seri Zurainah Musa on steps taken by DBKL to ensure the safety of pedestrians, Jalaluddin said about 5,000 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras had been installed throughout Kuala Lumpur City, with 2,062 of them focused on pedestrian walkways, besides 250 enforcement officers conducting patrols from time to time.

"Don't worry, your safety is guaranteed. Encourage the culture of walking," he said.

-- BERNAMA