A BRIEFING on the demolition and relocation of the Sentul Police Quarters was organised for the media on 26 September 2017.

Held at the site of the Sentul Police Quarters itself, the briefing began with an update on the progress of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) Line followed by presentation on the activities conducted for the demolition and relocation.

The media also had the opportunity to witness a demonstration of the demolition method used.

Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) SSP Line Project Director Dato’ Amiruddin Ma’aris started the briefing by sharing the overall construction progress of the SSP Line was at 13.7% and proceeding according to schedule.

He said that the underground section progress was at 16.1% and tunnelling works were expected to begin within the first quarter of 2018.

For the elevated section, Amiruddin updated that the construction was now 11.1% completed.

Amiruddin then continued with the presentation by explaining that the buildings were to be demolished as the foundations of the 40-year old quarters, comprising of two 16-storey blocks, were in the way of the tunnels of the SSP Line.

Amiruddin said that the 270 families living in the quarters were now temporarily housed at the Teratai Residence apartments in Setapak while waiting for the completion of the new police quarters in Taman Keramat AU1, which will be ready in December 2018.

Encik Mohd Fuad Kamal Ariffin, General Manager, MMC Gamuda KVMRT (T) Sdn Bhd (MGKT), the underground works contractor for SSP Line added that the temporary housing was paid for by the Project and they were provided with assistance such as school buses for the children to get to the schools that they were already enrolled in.

In terms of safety, Amiruddin stated that the highest safety standards were being followed for the demolition process, which started in June 2017 and will be completed to ground zero by December 2017.

Two methods were used to demolish the buildings, according to Mr Chris Fenton, Head of Safety, Health and Environment, MGKT.

Fenton explained that for the top three floors, the buildings were cut into pieces using diamond cutters and then lowered by crane.  Once these were removed, crushers were used to demolish the other floors.

The media were then shown a demonstration on how a crusher actually demolish a floor.

A question and answer session ensued and the briefing ended with light refreshments.