KUALA LUMPUR – After nearly two years of setbacks and delays, the much-anticipated opening of the Lucky Garden food court in Bangsar is set to take place within the coming weeks.
The opening will see the reinstatement of long-time traders who had been forced to find other business locations when they were instructed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to clear their regular grounds during the early days of the food court project.
Launched in June 2020, the project was supposed to be completed within four months, but construction work was postponed after opposition from several residents in the area who were up in arms over having a food court near residences.
The protests, however, were confusing to authorities, as the food court is merely replacing rows of stalls that had adorned Lorong Ara Kiri for over two decades.
Even then, residents also reminded DBKL that it had promised from as far back as 1995 to relocate the hawker centre.
A source close to the matter disclosed to The Vibes that individuals with homes on the fringes of the food court area had raised concerns regarding how their quality of life would be impacted by business operations at the food court.
Their protests mostly centred around hygiene issues and worries of traffic congestion, as well as how residents would have to deal with the smells of cooking and smoke from stalls.
“Because of the protests, changes had to be made to the original plans for the food court, and this caused delays to the project,” the source said, adding that the absence of such objections would have likely shortened the time needed for the project to be completed.
Another contention from the residents had come in the form of operating hours, with some seeking to limit the time in which traders could open shop, arguing that the safety of the area would be jeopardised as the day progressed.
The proposal to limit hours from 8am to 5.30pm did not sit well with traders, with several reportedly initially deciding against moving to the new space due to the restrictive operating hours.
“These are not feasible for us and we would rather continue operating from where we are right now,” said an experienced food vendor currently renting a spot along a five-foot way not far from the food court.
This issue has since been resolved following a recent meeting between DBKL and stakeholders, with DBKL deciding that hawkers will be allowed to operate their businesses from 6am to midnight.
Since electrical fixtures are already in place while water supply systems are in the works, the source estimated that the food court will be able to open its doors sometime within the next couple of weeks.
They also noted that while traders are thankful for the opportunity to earn a living in a fixed location with a roof over their heads, the 18 stalls each measuring ten by twelve feet have caused unease among hawkers who worry that the space will be cramped and insufficient.
The choice for them (hawkers) was either between having nowhere to carry out their businesses or taking whatever was offered to them.”
They explained that pending DBKL’s approval to allow traders to open additional tables at their stalls, the small compound might affect revenue as the number of customers that can be served at one time will be limited.
Speaking to The Vibes, Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil said that he had also discussed the matter of rental fees with DBKL during prior meetings, pointing out that traders had suffered major financial losses due to the opening of the food court being postponed.
“I requested for payment to be waived for a year and for a reduction in whatever amount they intend to charge stall operators,” he said.
According to Fahmi, DBKL has agreed to a six-month free rental period once the food court opens for business, while there is not yet a set figure on how much hawkers will have to pay monthly.
Notable stalls that were once in the Lucky Garden area include Om Chelo Appam and Anuar’s Fish Head Curry, with both having temporarily relocated within the vicinity while waiting for the completion of the food court. – The Vibes, April 21, 2022
