Circle Line caters to all, rich and poor areas alike, says MRT chief

 

The MRT3 Circle Line is slated to be fully operational by 2030.

PETALING JAYA: The Mass Rapid Transit 3 (MRT3) Circle Line project cannot bypass certain locations, including those considered to be affluent areas, such as Mont Kiara, as it is vital in improving overall connectivity in Kuala Lumpur, says MRT Corp chief executive Zarif Hashim.

“We have to traverse through areas such as Mont Kiara because at the end of the day, the MRT3 line is a circle,” he told FMT in an exclusive interview, adding it was important for the optimal alignment to be obtained.

“We need to be able to connect underserved communities in Segambut Dalam and Taman Sri Sinar with the rest of the line. As Mont Kiara happens to be along the way, we can’t skip it.”

Some social media users have complained that the proposed MRT3 Circle Line alignment was serving affluent areas whose residents are unlikely to use public transport.

Zarif Hashim.

Zarif said MRT Corp decided it was better to have a station at Mont Kiara, instead of not stopping, so that those residing and working there would also have the best possible transport service.

He said there were workers who had to commute to Mont Kiara to get to various eateries and service outlets there. With frequent road congestion leading to the area, an MRT station was needed to ease the mobility of residents and workers.

Zarif said the MRT3 Circle Line is also designed to cover many areas currently not served or underserved by the existing urban rail network in Kuala Lumpur.

These areas include Segambut Dalam, Taman Sri Sinar, Setapak, Pandan, Pantai Permai and Jalan Klang Lama.

He said the proposed stations for MRT3 could also serve future expansions of the Klang Valley transit network through spur lines to more underserved areas.

Zarif said the MRT3 project would undergo public inspection in July, leaving the door open to a change of heart for any areas initially unreceptive to the project.

MRT3, a 50.8km circular alignment covering the perimeter of Kuala Lumpur, is slated to be fully operational by 2030, with the first phase set to begin operations in 2028.

The project will consist of 40.1km of elevated tracks and 10.7km of underground tunnels with 31 stations, 10 of which will be interchange stations with existing rail lines in the Klang Valley.

The estimated construction cost is RM31 billion excluding RM8 billion in land acquisition. - FMT