DRIVING up the steep slope along Jalan Maarof towards the Bangsar Shopping Centre has always been a scenic delight as the left side of the slope is adorned with indigenous trees and verdant foliage.

However, motorists and residents were recently dismayed to find that this once-vibrant greenery has been ruthlessly cleared, leaving behind barren, brown slopes that mar the landscape.

Residents of upscale properties such as Menara Bangsar, Taman SA, Menerung and Sri Penaga across the road are horrified by the sudden disappearance of the mature trees and lush vegetation in the area.

The residents have taken to social media to express their anguish and concern that such a large segment of the greenery has been removed.

Despite prominent signboards indicating that the land was gazetted as a green lung by the Kuala Lumpur City Council, residents are bewildered by the lack of explanation for the clearing.

Social media platforms have been flooded with expressions of anguish and outrage, with reports describing the event as a “massacre” of trees.

Amid the prevailing dry season, the stark transition from lush greenery to a barren landscape is painfully evident.

Residents, who fondly remember Bangsar as a bastion of urban development harmoniously coexisting with natural ecosystems, now fear the loss of this delicate balance.

With no official notices provided and workers unable to offer explanations, residents have turned to social media and have appealed to Member of Parliament Fahmi Fadzil, who also serves as the communications minister, to intervene and investigate the matter. Their hope is to revive what has been lost and restore the area to its former green glory.