Longer wait for the last-mile link

BY now, it is obvious that the aerotrain service at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) was reopened too soon.

There have been at least three breakdowns since both the Prime Minister and the Transport Minister were among the first to use the relaunched service on July 1.

The authorities have rolled out various excuses, including pump failure, tunnel flooding and even a technical glitch, to explain the breakdowns.

“In any system, there will be occasional disruptions, bugs and other issues that must be addressed and fixed,” the Transport Minister was reported to have said to justify the most recent breakdown.

But this seemingly rushed opening of the aerotrain 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. At this point, I do not think it will come as a surprise to anyone if the aerotrain breaks down again.

Hence, the same mistake should not be made with the RM22bil LRT3 opening.

To recap, the LRT3 (now called the Shah Alam Line) connects Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya with Kampung Johan Setia in Klang. The route will serve seve­ral high-density areas in Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang, which previously lacked LRT service.

In July, it was announced in Parliament that the service was 99.21% complete and that it was on track to open on Sept 30, but recently, Prasarana Malaysia, in a Facebook update, said that the LRT sets will have to undergo “24-hour train testing and commissioning” until Oct 30.

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

However, sources told The Star that even this later deadline was not achievable.

Apparently, even though civil works have been completed, and the trains are now visible on the tracks, the electrical and signalling systems are not yet ready.

It is probable that the opening could be pushed to next year.

This is a blow to Klang-ites especially, who were looking forward to the LRT service as a viable transport option to get to KL and other parts of the Klang Valley.

It is an eagerly awaited service as it provides a critical alternative for Klang residents who have had 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.

As for the new LRT service, 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.

That is a shame because nearly RM10bil has been saved on the LRT3 project despite the reinstatement of several components from its original scope.

Hopefully, the three to four stations which were mothballed can be added to the existing infrastructure at the right time.

The land in which these stations will sit has long been acquired by the government.

The final component of the Greater Klang Valley transportation masterplan is, of course, the MRT3 or the circle line.

This component will prove criti­cal to the overall rail connectivity for our capital city and its surroundings.

As in other developed countries, a circle line is crucial for connectivity for an overall subway/rail network.

For example, the current travel time from Ara Damansara to Bukit Jalil will take you over an hour. Whereas the MRT3 will drastically reduce this travel time by half.

However, Kuala Lumpur’s circle line will only begin operations in 2032 or 2033, with the first phase of land acquisition set to be completed in the next two years.

It is a no-brainer that we should be encouraging commuters to leave their cars at home when commuting to the city. Traffic jams are a perennial issue for the city, especially during peak hours.

Those who use the LRT or MRT and complain about last-mile connectivity should consider Rapid KL’s On-Demand van service.

These red and blue vans are now a common sight after Rapid KL expanded the services to many more destinations in the Klang Valley.

The Rapid KL On-Demand van service guarantees a seat for each ride and is available daily from 6am to 11.30pm with a promotional fare of just RM1 per trip to encourage more users to try the service.

Bookings can be made easily via the Rapid On-Demand app.

The long-term solution to traffic congestion is simple: improve public transportation and you will give commuters a viable option to leave their cars at home.