Commuters looking forward to reduced time and cost

Ride with a view: A train passing by Menara Star on the way to the Phileo Damansara station in Petaling Jaya.

PETALING JAYA: Commuters living along Phase One of the Sg Buloh-Kajang (SBK) MRT Line are looking forward to saving time and cost in their daily travel.

Restaurant owner Rubiah Hussin, 45, and her daughter Nur Najmah Bibi Salim, 18, are excited about using Line One to travel from home to their outlet here.

“To go to work, we used to spend between RM30 and RM35 every day for a taxi and RM20 for a Grabcar,” said Nur Najmah.

“The Kwasa Damansara station is very near our home,” said Rubiah, adding that with the MRT, they would only need to spend RM8 a day on round trip tickets.

The MRT will also provide commuters such as managing assistant Fizah Ikram, 25, with more mobility.

Fizah said she could now easily go grocery shopping from her home near the Phileo Damansara station.

“I don’t have a car and I walk to work everyday, so I’m really happy that there’s an MRT station near my area now,” she added.

Human resources manager S. Kogilavani, 30, is eagerly awaiting the opening of Phase Two of the Line, scheduled for July next year.

“I have to spend about RM50 a week on petrol and toll, and I live opposite the Merdeka station. So, it will be convenient for me to come to work once the trains start running.

“It’s going to be good. With the price of petrol expected to rise, people can choose to take the train and save cost,” added Kogilavani.

Hemalatha Apadore, 29, said currently, her husband would send her to and from her office near the Semantan station everyday.

“I may choose to wait for him near his workplace in Kota Damansara instead of him having to come all the way down to pick me up,” she said, adding that her husband used to spend some RM50 every three days on commuting.

Maliana Abdullah, 37, said the Sg Buloh station was not within walking distance from her house.

“I still have to park my car at the MRT station and pay for the parking so for me, it’s not that convenient,” she said, adding that it took her only 40 minutes to get to work by car.

However, she said the toll was expensive.

“I will consider taking the train if the cost is significantly cheaper but for now, I will still drive as it saves me more time.”