Call to open reserved bays near MRT station to public

Yee (right) and Lim at the staff parking area of Kepong Baru station along Jalan Rimbunan Raya Satu. ― AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star

the public are asking for the 32 parking bays along Jalan Rimbunan Raya Satu, next to Kepong Baru MRT station, to be made available to them.

Kepong Community Centre head Yee Poh Ping, who highlighted the matter, said visitors to the busy commercial area of Laman Rimbunan nearby should be allowed to park there.

The commercial area has limited parking, forcing people to double park resulting in traffic congestion, he said at a press conference.

The bays are currently reserved for MRT staff.

Salesperson Lim Chin Tay said that finding a parking spot in the area was difficult, especially during lunchtime and in the evening.

Lim and Yee suggested that MRT Corp use the space below the station to build parking for their staff and let the bays outside be used by the public.

When contacted by StarMetro, a Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) spokesperson said the parking facility at Kepong Baru MRT station was not part of the MRT Putrajaya Line Park-n-Ride facility.

“The 32 barricaded parking bays, which are located underneath the MRT viaduct, have been constructed as a makeshift parking facility for the use of staff working at 12 stations along the northern section of the alignment.

“Commuters can utilise the parking space at Metro Prima MRT station, which consists of 212 bays, and Jinjang MRT station that has 239 bays and is one stop away from Kepong Baru MRT station.

“Alternatively, commuters can access parking facilities at Sri Damansara Timur MRT station that has 173 bays, Kampung Batu MRT station with 313 bays and Kentonmen MRT Station with 168 bays,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

Yee suggested MRT Corp construct parking bays at the vacant space behind Kepong Baru MRT station.

“We are not against MRT allocating space for their staff but they should do it at other stations like Sri Damansara Timur and Kompleks Desa which does not have many visitors but ample parking.

“The availability of more parking here would encourage people to take public transport,” he said.