Setback for Klang commuters

A longer wait to board: The Shah Alam Line train leaving the Pasar Jawa station in Klang. Train testing and commissioning is underway. — KK SHAM/The Star

PETALING JAYA: Prasarana Malaysia’s Shah Alam Line (formerly known as LRT3) that connects Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya with Klang is set to miss its widely expected Sept 30 opening date.

Just last week, it posted a Facebook update announcing that the LRT sets will have to undergo “24-hour train testing and commissioning” until Oct 30.

This means that the entire checklist of electrification, signalling and communications infrastructure has yet to pass regulatory muster, even if all of the physical infrastructure such as stations and track work are completed.

On July 30, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said in Parliament that the Shah Alam Line is 99% complete, but did not indicate the date of passenger service commencement.

When contacted, a Prasarana official declined to provide any specific date, beyond saying “the project team is still conducting some key tests before they can conclude”.

The Shah Alam LRT is a project built, owned and operated by Prasarana.

It is an eagerly awaited service as it provides a critical alternative for Klang residents who have to endure service disruptions of the KTM Komuter due to the ongoing Phase II of the Klang Valley Double Track Rehabilitation project.

This disruption is set to last for years, with no clear end date.

According to rail professionals, rail testing and commissioning is the most challenging phase of a railway project due to the complexity of integrating various systems as this is a high-stakes area that will impact safety and reliability, more so with the complexities of modern rail systems.

“This phase requires meticulous planning, precise execution and thorough documentation to ensure all systems function together as intended.

“It is a process that cannot be rushed through,” said Yuslizar Daud, a railway systems specialist who once headed the Land Public Transport Commission’s Rail Division.

The seemingly rushed opening of KL International Airport’s aerotrain on July 1 is a lesson for all, particularly after electrical problems on July 12 halted a train set just before it reached the satellite terminal building.

Passengers had to disembark and walk the rest of the way.

To date, contractors are still conducting tests and rectification of the system.

Yesterday afternoon, only one aerotrain was available for service, leading to congestion at the airport.

As for the KTM Bhd’s electric train service to Johor Baru, Sunday Star reported yesterday that the service will not be able to reach Johor Baru this quarter.

Questions linger on whether it will be able to meet its target by end of the year.

In response, KTMB said the government is committed to the project's full completion in “a phased approach”, though the statement stayed clear of committing to any particular timeline or date.