Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said mapping utilities is crucial to understanding the situation underground, as many areas contain pipelines and electric cables sometimes not accurately mapped by utility companies.

“I have received many complaints of large TNB cables not indicated on the map being revealed by dredging work during the development of projects.

“Hence, there is a need for collaboration with the Kuala Lumpur mayor to ensure that we not only have mapped the surface but also our utilities,” he told reporters when met after the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Mega Merdeka gotong-royong programme today.

Meanwhile, KL mayor Maimunah Sharif said she will hold a meeting with the relevant agencies on underground utilities to discuss utility mapping to avoid untoward incidents, including the one that happened at Jalan Masjid India yesterday.

“We already have the GIS (geographic information system). We also need to have mapping not only of utilities, but also of DBKL facilities. For example, open areas that have been gazetted, areas that have been vandalised and those that need to be upgraded,” he said.

The incident yesterday morning saw a tourist from India fall into an 8m-deep sinkhole after the ground she was walking on gave way.