Potential for development around several LRT3 stations, says Loke

 Transport minister Loke Siew Fook says commercial centres or affordable housing could be built in large spaces near the Sri Andalas, Kayu Ara, Bandar Bukit Tinggi and Johan Setia stations.

Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said any transit-oriented development near LRT3 stations would involve collaboration with the private sector.

PETALING JAYA:

Several areas around stations on LRT3, the new Shah Alam line, have potential for development into commercial centres or affordable housing, says transport minister Loke Siew Fook.

The potential areas are at the Sri Andalas, Kayu Ara, Bandar Bukit Tinggi and Johan Setia stations.

Any development would involve collaboration with the private sector to ensure that the public would benefit from the construction of the facilities, Bernama quoted him as saying.

Loke said that in the past land use was not optimised, when “it was just park and ride”. A car park with 600 bays would benefit only those 600 vehicles, he said, as those using the LRT would usually park their vehicles from morning to night.

“So we need to review this. The government’s policy is to optimise land use through the transit-oriented-development concept,” he said at a press conference after the Shah Alam Line was launched in Klang today.

The 37.8km-long line, which has 20 stations, begins operations at 6am tomorrow, with free rides for all passengers until July 31. It is expected to carry up to 60,000 passengers a day in its first year.

Loke said LRT3 owner Prasarana Malaysia Bhd plans to build five additional stations at Tropicana, Raja Muda, Temasya, Bukit Raja and Bandar Botanik, with construction expected to begin at the end of this year. - FMT