KLANG: Seven additional train sets will be procured for the LRT Shah Alam Line over the coming years to meet future passenger demand.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said five additional stations will also be added to the line, with construction expected to begin by the end of this year to further enhance connectivity.
He said this during a press conference after the launch of the LRT Shah Alam Line on Sunday (June 28).
"The plan, which has already received approval from the Finance Ministry, is aimed at increasing the line's capacity as ridership grows over the coming years," he said.
"The five new stations are Tropicana, Raja Muda, Temasya, Bukit Raja and Bandar Botanik," he added.
Prasarana first announced plans for the LRT Shah Alam Line in 2013, with construction beginning in 2016.
However, the project was halted in 2018 for a review following a change of government and funding concerns.
Construction of five stations along the line was subsequently shelved as part of a cost-cutting exercise in 2018.
It has been reported that construction of the five stations is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year.
Loke said the line currently has 22 train sets serving the 37.8km route, which comprises 20 stations.
He said train services will operate at intervals of 7.5 minutes during peak hours and every 10 minutes during off-peak hours.
Each train is able to carry up to 624 passengers.
He added that the line is expected to record an average daily ridership of 60,000 in its first year of operations.
However, he stressed that services would be reviewed as passenger numbers increase.
"Our experience with the MRT Kajang Line and MRT Putrajaya Line shows that it typically takes between three and five years for ridership to mature," he said.
"As demand grows, we will add more train sets, which will allow us to shorten service intervals," he added.
