Just over two weeks after authorities revealed the cause of last year’s Masjid India sinkhole, another ground settlement has occurred in the same area, this time along Jalan Bonus, sparking renewed concerns over the stability of aging underground infrastructure in Kuala Lumpur’s city centre.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said the latest sinkhole appeared in front of the Bombay Jewellery outlet on Monday (Nov 10) at around 8:39 a.m. Teams from DBKL, Air Selangor, Indah Water Konsortium (IWK), and the Dang Wangi district police were immediately dispatched to investigate.
For safety reasons, Jalan Masjid India has been temporarily closed to all vehicles from Lorong Masjid India 4 (next to the mosque) up to the affected area. DBKL emphasized that public safety remains its top priority and that ongoing monitoring and technical assessments are underway, with further updates to follow.
Previously, on Oct 24, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa told the Dewan Rakyat that investigations by a special task force revealed last year’s sinkhole was caused by the failure of a corroded sewer pipe combined with unstable soil—not limestone, as initially suspected. The area sits on the Kenny Hills Formation, underlain by schist rock, while limestone lies much deeper at 60–70 meters below ground level.
Dr Zaliha noted that the task force presented its findings to the Cabinet in August, and DBKL is preparing a public report to be released by year-end.
In response to rising public concern, DBKL has begun geotechnical studies along key routes in the Golden Triangle using borehole resistivity, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), LiDAR, and InSAR technology. Early results indicate no locations are currently classified as high-risk.
Last year, Indian tourist G. Vijayalakshmi, 48, went missing after falling into an 8-meter-deep sinkhole that suddenly opened on Aug 23.
