MRT Corp: No talks yet on LRT3 integration

KUALA LUMPUR: Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) said no discussions had been held with Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd on any integration between its MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) line and the proposed third light rail transit (LRT3) line, which is touted to cost as much as RM10 billion.

“Although reports have emerged over the last two months of a proposed LRT3 line from Bandar Utama to Klang, MRT Corp has received formal notification from the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) that the proposed line was ‘still being studied’,” MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Wira Azhar Abdul Hamid said in a statement yesterday.

SPAD was replying to MRT Corp’s letter dated June 13, which enquired on reports that LRT3 will integrate with SBK line’s One Utama station in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya.

Azhar noted that the letter had stated that socio-economic impact studies, environmental impact assessment, technical as well as operational issues of the LRT3 line have not been completed.

“The letter did not state the targeted date of approval of the project,” he said.

Azhar also concurred with earlier news reports that any integration between the LRT3 line and SBK line’s One Utama station must be planned ahead.

“The reports are right ... Ideally, for the commuters’ benefit, it should be a seamless, paid link, and one that requires minimal linkways, given that the LRT3 and our SBK lines are new or lines under construction,” he said.

Media reports had raised concern that such integration would need to be sorted out quickly to ensure that any integration would be cost efficient to MRT Corp. This is to avoid poor integration such as the existing link between the Ampang line and the Kelana Jaya line at Masjid Jamek station.

“For us to integrate efficiently, we would have to make changes to our station design and access points. It will of course incur abortive and additional design costs. There will be a point when this seamless integration becomes impossible as the SBK line proceeds with construction,” said Azhar.

Azhar believes that the LRT3 line, if realised, will provide an option for residents of the Klang-Petaling Jaya corridor to commute between the two cities and beyond without adding to traffic congestion.

In a separate statement, MRT Corp said EITA Resources Bhd, PTIS Engineering Sdn Bhd and EV-Dynamic Sdn Bhd have bagged contracts worth a combined RM67.2 million for the SBK line.

The RM15.3 million contract to supply lift systems for all MRT underground stations and ancillary buildings was awarded to EITA’s unit Eita Elevator (M) Sdn Bhd.

Another contract worth RM7.4 million to supply step down distribution transformers was awarded to PTIS Engineering.

EV-Dynamic, meanwhile, bagged the RM44.5 million contract to provide the information technology system for all elevated and underground stations as well as depots of the SBK line. The contract includes training and documentation for the system.

With the latest contracts, a total of 77 work packages have been awarded. One work package is currently being called while seven work packages have yet to be called.

The SBK line runs for 51km along a corridor catchment of 1.2 million people. Phase One between Sungai Buloh and Damansara Heights is expected to be operational by December 2016, while the entire line ending in Kajang will be operational by July 2017.

The project is now at 45.6% completion, slightly ahead of schedule.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on July 23, 2014.