SMART Tunnel: Terowong Yang Menyelamatkan Kuala Lumpur


Kalau anda pernah tersangkut dalam banjir kilat di Kuala Lumpur suatu masa dahulu, anda mungkin menghargai kewujudan satu projek mega yang benar-benar mengubah keadaan: SMART Tunnel. Dibina untuk menangani dua masalah besar serentak -- banjir kilat dan kesesakan trafik -- projek ini bermula pada 25 November 2003, dan menjadi antara terowong dwifungsi paling unik di dunia.

SMART (Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel) direka bagi mengalihkan limpahan air hujan dari Sungai Klang dan Sungai Ampang ketika ribut monsun melanda. Air banjir akan dialihkan ke terowong khas, mengelakkan pusat bandar daripada tenggelam seperti yang selalu berlaku pada era 1990-an dan awal 2000-an. Tetapi it doesn’t stop there -- terowong yang sama turut berfungsi sebagai laluan trafik sepanjang kira-kira 9.7 km, menghubungkan Kampung Berembang ke Bukit Bintang, sekali gus mengurangkan kesesakan waktu puncak.


Pembinaannya membuka lembaran baharu dalam kejuruteraan Malaysia, melibatkan kepakaran tempatan dan teknologi dari seluruh dunia. Ia menjadi salah satu projek kebanggaan negara, bukan sahaja kerana reka bentuknya yang inovatif, tetapi kerana fungsi nyatanya: menyelamatkan Kuala Lumpur daripada banjir dan menjimatkan masa ribuan pengguna jalan raya setiap hari.


Hari ini, SMART Tunnel bukan sekadar terowong -- ia lambang bagaimana infrastruktur moden dapat menyelesaikan masalah bandar yang rumit dengan cara yang kreatif dan berkesan.

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