PETALING JAYA: With the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) set to begin commercial services by mid-December, the much-touted elevated pedestrian bridge that promises a smooth walk from the Gombak ECRL station to the adjacent Gombak Integrated Transport Terminal (TBG), is still nowhere in sight.
TBG hosts more than two dozen express bus operators and, more importantly, allows passengers access to the Klang Valley urban rail network through the Gombak LRT station, the northernmost station of the Kelana Jaya line.
Under the Railway Scheme approved in November 2021, commuters were promised a seamless walk from the TBG, specifically the LRT station, under what is supposed to be an integrated experience.
However, checks by The Star on Monday found no work at all is being done at the site. All that’s visible is a gaping hole at the ECRL station where the walkway is supposed to be located.
This delay is puzzling considering that the owner of the LRT station – Prasarana Malaysia Bhd is under the Minister of Finance Inc (MOF Inc), while Prasarana’s operations are governed by the Transport Ministry (MOT).
The ECRL project owner – Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) – has the Chief Secretary of the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar as chairman of the board, while MOT secretary-general Datuk Seri Jana Santhiran Muniayan is a board member.
Questions have emerged as to why MOT had wanted ECRL to commence operations as soon as possible, while seemingly not applying the same urgency to the 45m walkway, the cost of which is borne by MRL.
The Star had reached out to Prasarana and MRL for a response.
Renditions from the project owner shown during various public displays depict the elevated walkway as being seamlessly blended with the Gombak station, which draws its aesthetic inspiration from the 14km-long Gombak Quartz Ridge.
When met on Monday, a MRL official suggested that some form of shuttle bus service might be available to bridge the gap in the absence of the walkway, which is “still awaiting approval”.
One construction industry expert said that obtaining “right of way” to build the walkway is not a problem, as it partly sits on Prasarana’s railway reserve land.
“Even if the walkway design can be approved this month, it may take more than six months for it to be usable as it needs other fitment such as lifts and escalators,” said the expert.
The absence of the walkway, which is aesthetically well-blended with the Gombak ECRL station, has caught the attention of public transport users.
A Threads user by the name of ohmeelo lamented this apparent lapse.
She pointed out that it would be incredulous to book an e-hailing car to get to the ECRL station from a spot that is just next door.
“Do they expect us to push our luggage from the TBG parking lot all the way to complete our journey?” she asked.
