Model garden city in full bloom

Putrajaya shines as a well planned and intelligent administrative centre By Ng Pau Ling pauline@thestar.com.my M ODERN buildings, wide roads, green and blue landscapes welcome visitors to Putrajaya, Malaysia’s federal government administrative centre.

Since its inception in 1995, this territory of 20 precincts has developed remarkably well and has successfully achieved the vision of anIntelligent Garden City.

About 40% of its 4,931ha is designated as green and blue open spaces.

In Putrajaya, man-made wetlands and lakes flow through the centre of the city while vast parcels of land are allocated for thematic parks with trees and shrubs lining the paths.

Well-planned land use allows water features and greenery to intertwine within the residential, workplace and commercial areas.

It is not only aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, but also serves as a climate moderator for the area.

Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd is the master developer of Putrajaya.

Incorporated in October 1995, the developer has built more than 20 signature projects in the city comprising office, commercial and residential buildings.

According to the city’s master plan, Precinct 1 to 5 make up the Central Business District that houses the federal government offices.

By 2011, 95% of federal government offices had relocated from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya.

The residential developments in Putrajaya are dotted in the peripheral areas with mostly low-rise properties,and more than half of the completed housing comprise government quarters.

According to Perbandaran Putrajaya, there are 39,617 completed residential units as of 2017 with 6,874 units still under construction.

Of the completed homes, 25%is private housing, 19% affordable housing including Prima and PPAM, and the rest being government quarters.

The current residential population of Putrajaya stands at 90,500 of which over 90% are bumiputras.

THE PUTRAJAYA DEVELOPMENT > 2 June 1993: The Government decides to move the nation’s administrative centre from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya > 2 Feb 2005: Putrajaya’s master plan, based on the Garden City concept, is approved by the Government > 29 Aug 1995:  Official groundbreaking ceremony > October 1996: First construction commences > June 1999 : Prime Minister of Malaysia moves to Putrajaya > 1 Feb 2001: Putrajaya declared the third Federal Territory of Malaysia > December 2011: 95% of the ministries relocated to Putrajaya > 28 Aug 2015: Celebration of 25th anniversary of Putrajaya > April 2019: Pioneer smart city for 5G trial Safe and community friendly    Life in Putrajaya is complemented by a full range of community and recreational facilities.

Houses adopt the “fenceless”concept whereby neighbours can walk over to each other’s home in a tight-knit community.

The housing design also complies with universal standards that create a friendly environment for the elderly and disabled.

For the safety of residents, more than 200 high-resolution CCTV cameras have been installed in the neighbourhood under a central monitoring system that supports traffic management at the same time.

Residents also get to cycle safely in Putrajaya.

Besides the 20.6km dedicated cycling lane that passes through Persiaran Perdana (Precinct 1 to 5) and the main routes of Precinct 8, 9 and 18, the city has implemented bicycle-friendly traffic lights and signages.

Government services dominate the economic activities in Putrajaya while commercial and business services play only a limited role.

As at 2017, only about 20% of the designated commercial areas have been developed with businesses focusing on sundry, basic retail and F&B outlets.

The Alamanda Putrajaya located at Precinct 1 is the current central commercial hub that includes the Alamanda Shopping Centre and Everly Hotel which serve local neighbourhoods and visitors.

Upcoming commercial projects in Putrajaya include the business suites Ochre@Alamanda, the upgrade of Alamanda Shopping Centre, the lakefront mixed development Terra@Precinct 8, and the transit-oriented development (TOD) in Precinct 7.

Economic boost from tourism The variety of tourism products in Putrajaya have generated new economic opportunities for the city.

They include the Putrajaya International Convention Centre which hosts large-scale events and MICE (Meetings, Incentives,Conventions, Exhibitions) while the Putrajaya Lake is an excellent venue for international level and leisure water sports.

The city’s fascinating modern buildings are also must-visit tourist attractions, including Perdana Putra which houses the Prime Minister’s Office (Precinct 10), the rose-tinted Putra Mosque (Precinct 1), the palatial Islamic style Palace of Justice (Precinct 3), the diamond-shaped headquarters of the Energy Commission (Precinct 2), and the 435m-long Putra Bridge connecting Precinct 1 and 2.

    Tourism events in Putrajaya include the annual MyBalloonFiesta, where visitors witness colourful hot-air balloons floating over Putrajaya Lake, while its run-friendly environment makes the city a top marathon destination.

Today, Putrajaya is moving onto become a model smart city that is committed to providing quality living while embracing the latest technologies.

  Several initiatives were rolled out to realise this dream, including the launch of a mobile application for cashless transactions that enables business owners to renew licences and make payments digitally.

  Another new mobile app—Putrajaya Mobile provides location information for tourist attractions and features a panic-button function that allows users to contact the police in case of emergency.

In addition, Putrajaya and Cyberjaya are pioneer smart cities in Malaysia that will experience 5G technology.

          These are exciting times for Putrajaya as it transforms from green to smart city.

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