On track to preserve century-old KL landmark

The Kuala Lumpur Railway Station on Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin continues to connect passengers travelling between the northern and southern parts of Peninsular Malaysia.

OVER a century after opening its doors on Aug 1, 1910, the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station in Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin remains one of the capital’s most enduring landmarks.

Having witnessed some of the country’s defining moments, the station still serves thousands of passengers each day, linking travellers across the peninsula.

Recent conservation efforts have sought to preserve the station as a heritage structure while ensuring it remains a functioning transport hub.

Architect Mohd Azri Mat Nor, appointed as a consultant by Railway Assets Corporation (RAC), said the latest conservation works began in November 2024 and was completed in March this year.

“We did not renovate the building, as our focus was only to rehabilitate, preserve and conserve the original structure.

A visitor (left) viewing information on the history of Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, which continues to connect passengers travelling across Peninsular Malaysia.

“Every stage of the project underwent strict scrutiny and had to comply with requirements by National Heritage Depart­ment,” he said during The Heritage Colours Festival held at the station.

Mohd Azri said works started with a detailed assessment of the building’s condition.

“The first step was preparing a dilapidation report.

“However, we also had to be alert to any new defects that emerged between the assessment stage and actual works.”

He added that the appointed contractor was selected as it had been involved in the conservation of the Ipoh Railway Station in Perak.

Despite meticulous planning, the project in Kuala Lumpur presented several challenges such as working around high-voltage installations and within limited access hours.

“The railway operates around the clock, so we were only allowed to work for about three hours each day,” said Mohd Azri.

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, with its Indo-Saracenic architecture featuring domes and pointed arches, is one of the capital’s most enduring landmarks.

Meanwhile, the festival featured cultural performances, stalls selling local handicrafts and traditional delicacies, colouring contests, traditional games and hands-on activities such as batik painting.

Visitors also heard from conservation experts who shared their insights on heritage preservation efforts in Malaysia.

In a statement, RAC said, “The festival aims to connect communities with our history and culture while stimulating the tourism and economic sectors.”

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud, who attended the festival launch, called on stakeholders to cooperate on efforts to conserve and preserve heritage buildings.