The MRT project owners has today warned property owners affected by the project to accept its offer to relocate temporarily or face land acquisition.

NONE MRT Co chief executive officer Azhar Abdul Hamid (left) said the offer includes compensation, reconstruction of damaged property and guarantees land ownership would remain at status quo.

For the affected properties along Jalan Sultan, Azhar said tunneling is expected to begin on the second quarter of 2014, where affected shop lot tenants have to move out for up to six months for safety reasons.

“Fair compensation will be paid to the shop owners or their representatives for this period. They will be able to move back in and resume business as usual after the construction phase ends,” he said.

As for Jalan Bukit Bintang, several buildings needs to be demolished but Azhar assures that MRT Co will rebuilt the buildings once tunneling works are completed.

“The proposed plan is for an agreement with the land owners or their representatives to retain the land titles but agree to allow us to clear the surface area to dig down,” he said.

Rebuilt 'brick by brick'

The surface area is needed for exits, air ventilation vents, access and other technical requirements.

“MRT Co is not interested in taking any land. That is not our business,” he said.

At a press conference this afternoon, Azhar said that the affected buildings would be rebuilt “brick by brick” except in areas occupied by the station’s exits and shafts.

Affected landowners, who have organised themselves as the Committee of Preserving Jalan Sultan and Jalan Bukit Bintang, have refused this option because it would involved temporary vacancy of their buildings.

Instead, the committee said MRT Co should adopt their proposal for an alternative realignment. Azhar said this was not feasible.

"We have (already) conducted in-depth research and looked at all the various options, even the ones being bandied around by uninformed bodies," he said.

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