Scaling down of LRT3 project raises concerns

I REFER to the latest news report that the LRT3 project would be continued but scaled down with the final cost being reduced by 47% to RM16.63bil. I’m glad the government has decided to go ahead with the project but I need to raise several serious issues concerning the steps being taken to rationalise the cost.

One is reducing the order of 42 sets of six-car trains to 22 sets of three-car trains. This move is very worrying. Downsizing from six to three cars and reducing from 42 sets to 22 will seriously affect the frequency and overall service of the system. Can Prasarana guarantee frequency of under four minutes, which is the standard for metro-style trains, with this reduction in train sets? Are we still okay with sardine-packed trains? If six-car train sets like the Sri Petaling LRT line are already packed, I can’t imagine what it will be like in three-car train sets.

We made this mistake with the LRT Kelana Jaya line (two-coach short trains that had to be extended to four coaches) and KTM Komuter (buying just enough train sets for current service without planning for operational redundancy or future projection).

We also made the same mistake with the KL Monorail where the two-car trains are not sufficient to cater for the current ridership and had to be extended to four cars.

Why are we repeating the same mistakes especially under a new government that promised to bring change?

Another serious issue is the shelving of five stations along the route. Were the views of residents who bought houses near these promised stations considered? And what about the new developments that have been planned with these stations in mind?

Did the government or Prasarana conduct any town hall sessions to get feedback from these residents? Why were people living along the LRT3 route not consulted over these changes?

Furthermore, delaying the completion of the project by four years – from 2020 to 2024 – is simply ridiculous.

Population is growing along the Klang-Petaling Jaya corridor. There will be more cars on the already congested Federal Highway. What’s the new government’s alternative plan to reducing this congestion? And what about the people who have been waiting for 2020 to use the LRT to avoid the congestion?

The new government must realise that more emphasis should be placed on public transport. Till today, I’m still waiting for an alternative plan to the MRT Circle Line after it was cancelled.

I will give credit to Prasarana for planning ahead with the LRT3, their objective of expanding the size of stations, introducing large six-car train sets and incorporating the latest technology and facilities. But if it’s true that there is mismanagement by Prasarana on the LRT3 costs, will the government take action on those who were responsible for this?

RP1

Puchong