{
  "id": 16972169,
  "title": "A road when it’s dry, a river when it pours: How KL’s SMART Tunnel switches from highway to flood channel",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/a-road-when-its-dry-a-river-when-it-pours-how-kls-smart-tunnel",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/29/a-road-when-its-dry-a-river-when-it-pours-how-kls-smart-tunnel-switches-from-highway-to-flood-channel/240340"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — The SMART Tunnel serves a dual purpose in Kuala Lumpur: it offers motorists a way to evade traffic congestion while also managing stormwater and preventing flooding. Spanning 9.7km, the tunnel combines a 3km motorway with a sophisticated flood-control system. This setup channels stormwater from the Klang-Ampang catchment area to reduce downstream flooding risks, including those near the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers. The tunnel boasts a water-storage capacity of three million cubic meters and has logged 685 incidents of diverting water during heavy rains. The project, costing around RM1.93 billion, was conceived in 2001 to tackle Kuala Lumpur’s recurrent flooding and congestion issues. Developed by Gamuda Berhad in collaboration with engineering consultants and the Malaysian Highway Authority, the tunnel involved both public and private sectors. Construction began in 2003, resulting in its opening to traffic in 2007. During heavy rainfall, the SMART Tunnel functions as a flood channel, diverting excess water into storage facilities. When it rains heavily, water is diverted through a lower channel beneath the motorway, while the motorway remains operational. However, when the flow exceeds 150 cubic metres per second, the motorway is closed and cleared for floodwater. After the floodwaters are drained, the tunnel undergoes a six-stage recovery process before the motorway can reopen.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — To most motorists, the SMART Tunnel is a way to bypass traffic congestion on the southern a...",
  "key_points": [
    "SMART Tunnel in KL serves as both highway and flood channel",
    "9.7km tunnel combines 3km motorway with flood-control system",
    "Tunnel diverts 150 cubic meters per second of floodwater"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}