PETALING JAYA: A 45m-long covered walkway connecting the Gombak East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) station to Prasarana’s Gombak LRT station is expected to be completed by March 2027, says project owner Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL).
In a statement yesterday following a report in The Star, MRL said it had taken the need for the walkway into account in its planning.
The Star had earlier reported that some commuters were dismayed to learn that they would not be able to transfer seamlessly from the Gombak LRT station, managed by Prasarana Malaysia, to the Gombak ECRL station, which is scheduled to begin commercial operations in mid-December.
“We acknowledge concerns raised by the public, especially regarding passenger flow between our station, the LRT station and the Gombak Integrated Transport Terminal (TBG),” MRL said.
“We will construct a covered walkway to the LRT station, with connectivity to TBG as well.”
As an interim measure, MRL said it would build a temporary pedestrian path to allow passengers to move between the two stations when ECRL services begin.
“This temporary walkway takes into account passenger safety and comfort, including for those with luggage.
“In addition, MRL is discussing with Prasarana the possibility of providing a shuttle bus service between the two stations, particularly for passengers with luggage.
“We assure the public that preparations for the temporary pedestrian facility are currently in progress while awaiting the construction of the permanent facility in stages,” it added.
The walkway project involves coordination between Prasarana, which comes under the Finance Ministry, and MRL, a special purpose vehicle under the same ministry.
When contacted, the management of TBG confirmed via email that the walkway was not part of its facilities, stressing that any construction work involving the walkway was “outside of its managerial jurisdiction”.
Meanwhile, The Star understands that Prasarana has yet to approve certain aspects of the proposed walkway, despite the Gombak ECRL station having taken several years to build.
The Star had contacted Prasarana on Monday to seek clarification on issues concerning the proposed walkway design and when approval could be granted.
“Looks like my plan to take the train back to hometown will be postponed until the pathway is ready,” said prospective ECRL passenger HM Lim, who is from Kuantan.
“I am aware that I can still take an e-hailing vehicle to the station, but a seamless last-mile connection is very important.
“Not being able to easily take the LRT to the Gombak ECRL station and back will destroy the value proposition of public transport for me.
“There is no way I am paying for an e-hailing ride due to some management incompetency.”
In recent months, the Transport Ministry has publicly urged MRL and its main contractor to speed up testing and verification of the new line to enable the first phase, from Gombak to Kota Baru, to begin operations in December, a month ahead of the original schedule.
