Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) wishes to clarify on allegations made in the media regarding the alignment of the proposed MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya Line (SSP Line), the second line of the Klang Valley MRT Project.
MRT Corp stated that as it stands today, all proposed alignments of the SSP Line remain as options and have not been finalised. The alignment can only be finalised after it has gone through the public display exercise and subsequently approved by the Government.
MRT Corp Strategic Communication and Public Relations Director Amir Mahmood Razak said the new proposed alignment option (“new option”) for the SSP Line involves a change in the section between Tun Razak Exchange and Seri Kembangan Stations, serving Kuchai Lama, Sri Petaling, Sungai Besi and Serdang Raya.
“An earlier alignment option, where instead of passing through the above locations, had covered the Maluri, Pandan, Cheras and Bukit Belimbing areas,” he says.
He said the new option was done to enable the SSP Line to integrate with the future Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail Terminal.
“Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has proposed for the terminus to be located adjacent to the KTM and Express Rail Link tracks south of the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base in Sungai Besi.
“It is therefore an excellent opportunity to integrate the SSP Line with the HSR. This is the kind of forward planning that will ensure maximum convenience to the public while giving good ridership for the SSP Line.
“With the integration with the High Speed Rail Terminus, passengers on the latter will gain a quick and direct route into Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle,” he says.
Amir added while the new proposed alignment option will benefit Bandar Malaysia, the entire stretch after the new development will also benefit.
“Between north Sungai Besi and Seri Kembangan, the alignment is proposed to stop at Kuchai Lama, Sri Petaling, Sungai Besi and Serdang Raya. This is a massive catchment for the SSP Line,” he explains.
The new option, he said, is now expected to bring an additional ridership of 16,000 passengers per day compared with the original proposed alignment.
The new option allows the SSP Line to be integrated with the Chan Sow Lin and Sungai Besi LRT Stations.
“We are of course constrained by funding and capacity in terms of building more lines but if we can connect to another existing or proposed line earlier, the responsible thing is to find a route to do so. The additional link to the Sg Besi LRT Station is a bonus as it then expand the urban rail footprint of that particular catchment,” said Amir.
The new option will also see a more direct route for commuters from Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Serdang to Kuala Lumpur. This is seen from the reduction of the expected end-to-end travel times from 100 minutes to 84 minutes.
Amir further said as the project had not started, there could not be cost or budget overruns pertaining to the proposed SSP Line.
“The realignment will have a marginally longer underground section, which means less land acquisition.
“Furthermore, there is a reduction of the elevated section by almost 10km, and a reduction of elevated stations. These reductions will offset any additional cost which may result of a marginally longer underground section,” he says.
Amir also points out that land acquisition for the MRT may not be necessary in Bandar Malaysia.
“The SSP Line is underground at this location and given that the land belongs to a government-owned entity, it is likely that we will take the approach of the mutual agreement route we took with the Sungai Buloh–Kajang (SBK) Line.
“This will mean we will not have to acquire but co-exist with Bandar Malaysia,” he says. The mutual agreement route that MRT Corp took with properties in Jalan Sultan and Jalan Inai in Kuala Lumpur for the SBK Line saved the Government some RM1.4 billion.
The assertion that this realignment has resulted in a delay for six months was also incorrect, Amir said, adding that construction time for the new option remained the same.
“The only change to the timeline is for the Public Display, which is now expected to take place in May 2015 instead of March 2015,” he said.
“Contrary to the assertions made in the media, it is clear that the new option has the potential to bring about many benefits including better connectivity, shorter travel time and efficient access to a more densely populated corridor,” he says.
He also invited the public to have their say at the three-month Railway Scheme Public Display. He says the public display is expected to start in mid-May at 24 locations across the city.
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