Patience is running out over road closures and business losses in the area where a sinkhole swallowed a visiting tourist a week ago.

Public frustration is intensifying in Kuala Lumpur as road closures and business disruptions continue in the area where an Indian tourist, Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, was swallowed by a sinkhole a week ago (August 23). The 48-year-old tourist fell into an eight-metre-deep chasm on a pavement in the Masjid India area, plunging into the city’s sewer system. Despite near round-the-clock search efforts, no trace of her has been found.

The horrifying incident, captured on CCTV, shocked city residents and raised serious questions about the safety of Kuala Lumpur’s streets. Concerns have been compounded by the revelation that a soil slip had occurred at the same spot last year, which had been patched over rather than addressed comprehensively.

On Wednesday (August 28), a second sinkhole, roughly five feet across, appeared just 50 metres from the first after heavy rainfall. Authorities quickly closed the street to vehicular traffic, further heightening public frustration. Many locals blame the ongoing urban renewal project, dubbed the “River of Life,” for the safety hazards. The project, launched by the federal government in 2011, aimed to rejuvenate historic parts of Kuala Lumpur, but it remains unfinished despite over RM3.9 billion having been spent.

“You call it River of Life, but someone has lost their life because of it,” said Samy, a local vendor whose stall is metres away from the second sinkhole, speaking with the South China Morning Post. He expressed frustration that despite previous signs of subsidence, city hall’s response had been limited to temporary patching.

Fatimah Abdullah, 54, another local vendor, echoed these concerns. Having worked in the Masjid India area for 37 years, she pointed out that much of the area had been built over swampland, with small streams and soft ground beneath the city’s concrete surfaces. She relocated her stall to a side alley as the search operation continues.

In response to mounting public pressure, Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof announced an integrity audit of the sewer system and utilities in the affected areas. Authorities will conduct a comprehensive postmortem to determine how to prevent similar incidents in the future. However, Fadillah urged the public to avoid speculation and criticised so-called “Google experts” for drawing unverified conclusions about Kuala Lumpur’s safety.

Social media discussions have also highlighted past geological reports that indicate Kuala Lumpur is built on sinkhole-prone limestone. These reports have sparked further concerns about the safety of the city’s infrastructure.

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif has sought to reassure residents, stating that there is currently no solid evidence to suggest the city is unsafe. However, she confirmed that a task force has been established to investigate the matter further. “Based on the current situation, Kuala Lumpur remains safe unless proven otherwise by studies,” she said. Some critics have framed the mayor’s assertion as both illogical and insensitive.

As the investigation into the sinkhole incidents continues, the city’s residents and business owners remain on edge, hoping that future development will prioritise safety over aesthetics.