If you’ve strolled down the back lanes of Taipan USJ 10 lately, you might be hit by a wave of deja vu. The sight (and smell) is all too familiar — almost like walking behind the bustling shops of SS15’s commercial area.
Take a few steps and here’s what greets you: broken or clogged drains layered with sludge, rubbish piled into every open space available, and restaurant workers casually pouring kitchen waste water right onto the lane. Some even have illegal extensions built over drains, making it impossible for council cleaners to do their job.
And then there’s the ground — slick, grimy and greasy from ventilation ducts that look like they haven’t seen proper maintenance in ages. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself tiptoeing around puddles of questionable origin.
While customers enjoy their meals and coffee at the front, it’s a different story just a few metres behind. One can’t help but wonder — do diners really know what’s cooking behind their favourite restaurants?
Locals say it’s high time authorities take another hard look at Taipan’s back lanes before they become another SS15 situation — where clogged drains and back alley stench became a never-ending saga. Clean-up efforts have come and gone, but until proper enforcement and maintenance step up, the problem will likely simmer beneath the surface… quite literally.
