PETALING JAYA: The LRT Shah Alam Line is set for an expansion, with seven additional train sets and five new stations planned to meet demand and strengthen connectivity, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said construction of the five new stations is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, following approval from the Finance Ministry.
“The expansion is aimed at increasing the line’s capacity as ridership grows in the coming years.
“The five new stations are Tropicana, Raja Muda, Temasya, Bukit Raja and Bandar Botanik,” he said at the launch of the Shah Alam Line yesterday.
Prasarana first announced the Shah Alam Line in 2013, with construction beginning in 2016.
However, the project was suspended in 2018 following a change in government and concerns over costs.
As part of a cost-rationalisation exercise, plans for five stations along the route were shelved.
Loke said the line currently operates with 22 train sets serving the 37.8km route, which comprises 20 stations.
Train services will run at eight-minute intervals during peak hours and every 10 minutes during off-peak periods, with each train capable of carrying up to 624 passengers.
He said the line is expected to record an average daily ridership of 60,000 in its first year of operations.
“As demand increases, we will add more train sets, allowing us to reduce service intervals,” he said.
Loke also called for the accelerated development of transit-oriented developments (TOD), particularly affordable housing projects, around LRT stations to boost public transport usage.
He said rail infrastructure is a strategic investment and land surrounding stations should be developed in tandem rather than left underutilised.
Citing Sri Andalas station as an example, he said the large park-and-ride facility there occupies land with strong potential for affordable housing and mixed-use developments while generating returns for Prasarana.
“At Sri Andalas, we have a large parcel of land currently used as a 500-bay car park. Simply using the site for parking is not the best use of the land.
“It can be developed to generate returns for Prasarana while stimulating growth in the surrounding area. This would allow people to own homes close to LRT stations and enjoy greater convenience in their daily commute.”
Loke said the ministry wants more Klang Valley residents to live near public transport hubs, making rail services their preferred mode of daily travel.
He added that TOD projects would help maximise the value of land around stations while enabling the government to recover part of its investment in rail infrastructure.
The developments will be carried out through partnerships between Prasarana and private developers, as the land belongs to the government-owned public transport operator.
“The projects will not be developed by the government itself. We will work with private developers and hope to keep prices affordable so that more people can own homes near public transport,” he said.
While no TOD projects have been finalised for the Shah Alam Line, Loke identified Sri Andalas, Kayu Ara, Johan Setia and Bandar Bukit Tinggi as stations with the greatest redevelopment potential due to their large surface-level park-and-ride facilities.
He said the ministry will study how these sites can be transformed into integrated developments while retaining parking facilities through multi-storey or basement car parks.
