‘Amy’ to hit the tracks in October

Spanking new: Prasarana training coordinator Elyanna Idris (left) and transit officer Norhasimah Hassab posing with the new LRVs for the Ampang Line extension.

AMPANG: Eight sets of six-car light rail vehicles (LRVs) are expected to ply the tracks in October when the extension of the Ampang LRT (light rail transit) line is completed.

Prasarana Malaysia Bhd group managing director Azmi Abdul Aziz said the company was expecting 50 sets, costing about RM1bil in total, by March 2016.

“The company is replacing its current fleet of Rapid KL Ampang Line trains,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

Azmi said 30 sets would replace the trains on the Ampang Line while the rest would be for another extension project.

Prasarana received its first few sets of the six-car LRVs, known as “Amy”, on Jan 3.

Azmi added that new sets would arrive each month.

The first phase of the Ampang Line extension involves the opening of four new stations – Awan Besar, Muhibbah, Alam Sutera and BK5.

Prasarana chairman Tan Sri Ismail Adam said he expected the number of passengers to double after the introduction of the LRVs.

“The line serves some 200,000 passengers a day now,” he said.

He said that introducing the LRVs was in line with the Government’s transformation programme to have a better and more comfortable mode of public transportation.

Ismail said the LRVs would be equipped with universal access features, including compartments for wheelchairs, designated priority seating, a walkthrough gangway to enable easier passenger movement from one car to another and stainless steel seats.

“There will also be displays in the coaches to show the destinations, an integrated dynamic route map and CCTV cameras for additional security,” he said.