KUALA LUMPUR, 18 February – A feasibility study conducted by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana) in extending the current Kelana Jaya LRT line to Port Klang is currently in the final stage with its results to be submitted to Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (SPAD) by next month.
Disclosing this today, Prasarana Group Managing Director Dato’ Sri Shahril Mokhtar said that areas covered by study includes the options of several routes between the current Kelana Jaya LRT Station to Port Klang, the challenges of land acquisition, development prospects as well as the potential optimisation for each proposed route.
“We need to go to every detail. It is in the final stage and we are hoping to submit the study to SPAD sometime in March,” Shahril told reporters at his office after receiving a memorandum from Umno Shah Alam on their proposal for an LRT service between Shah Alam and Kelana Jaya.
On receiving the memorandum, Shahril explained that the proper authority to receive the memorandum would be SPAD, which is the regulator established by the Government to manage all matters on public transport services.
“Based on the explanation given to me today, there are some areas of similarities to the proposed routes that we are currently conducting the feasibility study. Ours would be a bigger picture with a number of route options from Kelana Jaya to Port Klang.
“We have advised the Umno delegation to submit their memorandum to SPAD, which would be the right platform to study their proposals,” he said, adding that the Commission would then make their recommendations before a public display to seek comments from all stake holders.
Led by Umno Shah Alam Division Chief, Azhari Dato’ Shaari, the delegation stressed that Shah Alam was in dire needs of LRT service in the city to ease the problem of traffic congestion and loss of time, resources and productivity resulting from the problem.
Azhari said the extension of the LRT was only logical in view of the current LRT Line Extension Project (LEP), which is currently undertaken by Prasarana for its current two lines – Kelana Jaya Line from Kelana Jaya to Putra Heights and the Ampang Line from Sri Petaling to Putra Heights.
Echoing the views of Azhari, Prasarana Group Managing Director said the need for the LRT service in Shah Alam is recognised by Government and that the plan has been incorporated in the Klang Valley Public Transport Master Plan.
Conducted by its subsidiary, Prasarana Integrated Management and Engineering Services (PRIME), Shahril said the feasibility study started more than three months ago and was progressing well.
Responding to questions from the media, Shahril noted that there were potential challenges and issues.
“But, I am very confident that they can be resolved. It’s all about engagement,” he said, adding that with approval from SPAD and everything goes well, works can work as early as next year.
For more details, kindly contact Prasarana Senior Vice President for Communications and Media Affairs, Azhar Ghazali at 019-383785 or Haliza Hamid at 019-2210058.
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