MRT system aims to boost Klang Valley’s public transportation

The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), seen as a system that will operate at higher speeds and carry more passengers than the existing Light Rail Transit (LRT), has generated much interest of how it will boost Klang Valley’s public transportation. The RM36bil infrastructure project will start in July with the first line running from Sungai Buloh to Kajang through the centre of Kuala Lumpur, covering 60km with 35 stations. Traffic planning consultant Goh Bok Yen thinks the Sungai Buloh-Kajang route is one of the most sensible alignments to start the project. “This line creates a link with matured and established commercial areas like Mutiara Damansara, 1-Utama and Cheras.
“Sungai Buloh will have a huge development in the Rubber Research Institute, which is one of the major projects under the Economic Transformation Programme and the Greater KL.
“Kajang is certainly not to be overlooked too, as the catchment area is huge and also covers the southern part of Cheras.”

According to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD), the line will serve densely-populated areas like Kota Damansara, Mutiara Damansara, Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Bukit Damansara, Cheras, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn and Balakong. SPAD said the exact alignment and location of stations had yet to be finalised as they would be determined by the final alignment via the value management study. This, according to SPAD, is to ensure that the optimum value in terms of ridership and that the full value of the land around the stations can be achieved. Goh said the line would achieve one of its objectives of enhancing acessibility and traffic dispersal. “Of course with just one line, you cannot expect to solve all problems as a project of this scale can only mean more phases to come. “Bus resources will have to be restructured since the bus routes today are planned without taking the MRT into consideration,” said Goh.

He foresees that in 2020, more than 75% of the population of Greater KL will be able to walk from their house for about 400m to a bus station to get to the LRT or MRT. Goh said the previously announced Kota Damansara-Cheras LRT line in 2006 would no longer be applicable since it was now part of the MRT corridor. He said the system should be able to reach speeds of up to about 50km an hour. “It is undeniable that during the construction stage, the routes along the corridor and city centre will add to the congestion. This is why it is important that the government and authorities plan the construction to reduce public inconvenience. Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai said he welcomed all efforts to improve traffic congestion in the city, particularly Cheras.

He pointed out a lot of people would be adversely affected not just by congestion but also other problems during construction stage. “I wish to propose for a facilitator committee to monitor the situation. “Although the authorities always tell the public to bear with them for a better tomorrow, Kuala Lumpur residents are always facing the problem every other day since construction work does not stop. “People are naturally worried and concerned about which areas will be affected. “The elected representatives of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor must be included in this committee because we are the ones who know our own constituencies and people well,” said Tan.

Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said the project would be closely watched as to how contracts would be awarded and the workscope of MMC-Gamuda. “My concern is only the lack of transparency as the public and all stakeholders should be adequately informed. “During the public transportation workshop held by DBKL this year, there was no mention about the MRT at all. “SPAD, as the supervising body, should have the power over the different phases of decisions made,” she said. According to a press statement by SPAD, the MRT line is expected to serve a catchment area of about 1.2mil people. The daily ridership of the line is expected to be more than 400,000 passengers. It added that the Sungai Buloh-Kajang line was picked as this corridor was not adequately served by rail-based public transport.

Muhammad Zulkarnian Hamzah from the Association for the Improvement of Mass Transit Klang Valley (Transit), in his recently published letter, said so far, there have been no studies made public on MRT’s cost-benefit comparison with other alternative transit modes like Bus Rapid Transit lines, trams and the Bus Express Transit,” he said. It was decided by the Cabinet that Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana) is the infrastructure owner of the project while SPAD will be the supervising authority. MMC-Gamuda Joint Venture Sdn Bhd has been appointed the project delivery partner.

-thestar online.