Transport ministry expediting opening of LRT3 service

 Minister Loke Siew Fook says the government is aware the opening of the train service is crucial to ease traffic congestion in the Klang Valley.

Transport minister Loke Siew Fook greeting passengers onboard the KL Sentral-JB Sentral ETS train at KL Sentral today. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 The transport ministry is intensifying efforts to expedite the opening of the light rail transit Line 3 (LRT3), connecting Shah Alam and its surrounding areas.

Minister Loke Siew Fook said the move is crucial to ease traffic congestion in the Klang Valley and provide commuters with more public transport options, Bernama reported.

Testing of train sets for LRT3 is now going on to ensure the safety of the rail lines.

Loke acknowledged the significant challenges arising from the sharp increase in private vehicles on the roads, especially during festive occasions.

He noted that vehicle sales in Malaysia last year reached 820,000 units, making the country the largest vehicle market in Southeast Asia, surpassing Indonesia and Thailand.

“Mitigation is always carried out during festive seasons. At present, there is no policy to control vehicle numbers.

“So if I were to propose measures such as an end-of-life vehicle disposal policy, it could create other issues and complaints.”

Loke spoke to reporters after handing over souvenirs to passengers of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration at KL Sentral here today.

Also present was KTMB chairman Ahmad Redza Abdullah.

Loke said in conjunction with Chinese New Year, KTMB is providing 16 additional ETS trips with the addition of three new electric train sets.

This brings the total number of ETS services operating daily throughout the festive period to 58 trips.

Loke also said the KTM Komuter service between Seremban and Kuala Lumpur would be improved to reduce waiting times and shorten travel time.

This will be done by reviewing and revising train schedules.

“Many commuters report journeys taking one hour and 45 minutes, and sometimes up to two hours.

“The slowdowns are due to ongoing track upgrades along the route. Some sections are reduced to a single track, affecting train flow and schedule reliability,” Loke said.

Upgrades to the Seremban railway station and the construction of the new station there are expected to take another year to complete, he added. - FMT