KUALA LUMPUR (June 22): Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) is looking at various ways to reduce the cost of the second line (Line 2), which currently stands at around RM32 billion, said its chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar.

"My chat revolved on how we can reduce the cost for Line 2 further to save the rakyat's money," Shahril told reporters after his second meeting with the five-man Council of Eminent Persons here today.

"We have not really set a target (in terms of percentage) on how much we can reduce the cost," he added.

MRT Corp project director Datuk Amiruddin Ma'aris was recently reported to have said that some RM27 billion worth of contracts for system and civil work packages related to Line 2, which traverses from Sungai Buloh to Putrajaya via Serdang, have been dished out.

As at April, the construction progress for the 52.2km Line 2 was said to be at 24%. Once completed, Line 2, which will boast 24 elevated and 11 underground stations, is expected to have a ridership of 529,000 passengers per day.

At the same time, Shahril confirmed that MRT Corp has shelved the third mass rapid transit line, which analysts have estimated to cost up to RM40 billion.

"The Line 3 project has been shelved for now," he added.

Shortly after taking office, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced that the Cabinet has agreed and decided to scrap MRT Corp's Line 3 project, as Putrajaya looks to tackle the country's estimated debt load of RM1.087 trillion currently. — theedgemarkets.com

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