SPAD says will address all MRT shortcomings

SPAD was looking at improving connectivity to MRT stations, Muhd Nur said. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 — Regulators for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit project today admitted to possible weaknesses in the supporting infrastructure for the multibillion ringgit project but gave their assurance that all aspects covering the rail line would be considered before construction kicks off in July.

Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chief executive officer Mohd Nur Ismail Mohamed Kamal told a press conference today that the government was aware of the likely obstacles it would face in facilitating the movement of commuters from their homes to the MRT stations across the city, and was working on improving its feeder network through the construction of more “park and rides” stations and an increased frequency of feeder buses.

But the regulator also conceded it had not researched the possibility of commuters having to fork out extra money for fuel usage in their travels to and from their homes and the MRT stations.

“We have not done a specific research on that, but to be honest, I cannot see how driving to the station would be more expensive than going to Bukit Bintang (for example) in my car,” he pointed out.

Mohd Nur was responding to claims by a local research house yesterday that the proposed MRT, estimated to cost RM36.6 billion, would force commuters to spend an additional RM403.5 billion on fuel usage in the first five years of operations.

This, said research house Association of Water and Energy Research (AWER) Malaysia, was because the MRT system was not accompanied by a sustainable supporting system and would likely cause increased traffic congestion on the roads during rush hours.

Mohd Nur said he neither agreed nor disagreed with AWER’s projections but pointed out that the government was willing to consider all feedback from concerned citizens and civil society groups before kicking off the project.

He, however, pointed out that AWER’s research had likely been done based on the assumption that nothing would be done to improve the MRT’s supporting infrastructure.

“We realise there are current weaknesses as far as integration and feeder services to feed the existing railway infrastructure are concerned. But more importantly, that cost estimate (by AWER) was based on the presumption that nothing will be done.

“So what we are going to say here is that we are concerned on that lesson (learned) and we want to make it right for the MRT and future railway infrastructure,” he said.

He noted that it was important to ensure that the system was sustainable, convenient as well as cost-effective so that all parties would benefit from it.

“Figures from any research, based on how you look at it, if they choose to look at it this way — I cannot say it is wrong. It just depends on what happens between now and five years from now,” he said.

Mohd Nur, along with Syarikat Prasarana Bhd group managing director Shahril Mokhtar, were addressing reporters in a press conference today after the launch of the Klang Valley MRT open day and public display of the railway alignment at the Mid Valley exhibition centre here this morning.

Beginning tomorrow, the public are invited to provide feedback on the project to SPAD until May via email at feedback@kvmrt.com.my or through its helpline number 1800-82-6868.

Mohd Nur said the exercise was to make sure the government’s project would be built according to the most optimal and cost-effective plan.

“We know we are not perfect or that we can conceivably see every single angle out there so input and feedback are very important to ensure that what comes out is the best possible way that we can carry out this project,” he said.

According to the Klang Valley MRT website, the ambitious project will have 35 stations along its 51km line that stretches from Sungai Buloh to Kajang, with 13 proposed park-and-ride stations and four interchanges.

Eight of the stations will be underground as 9.5km of the line will be built under the capital city. Groundworks for the MRT is due to start this July 16 and will be completed in 2016.

The MRT is an entry-point project identified for the Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley National Key Economic Area under the Economic Transformation Programme.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said last December that the implementation of the project is expected to generate a gross national income (GNI) of between RM3 billion and RM4 billion beginning in 2011 until 2020.

He had said that between RM8 billion and RM12 billion was expected to be generated in terms of spin-offs from the construction of the MRT project.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala said last month that physical work for the RM36.6 billion project will start on July 16. - Malaysian Insider