It looks like LRT3 delays in project completion may soon be over, with final testing of the last few units being carried out almost continuously recently. The 37.8km Shah Alam Line has 25 stations, including 5 to be constructed, linking Bandar Utama to Johan Setia. This service connects with the Kajang MRT at Bandar Utama and Kelana Jaya LRT at Glenmarie. Travellers to, from and within the western side of Klang Valley are looking forward to the end to their transport woes, with with the completion of three major projects, the LRT3 Shah Alam line, the KTM Komuter double tracking project, and the West Coast Expressway, which have all been beset by major logistical and funding causing delays.
LRT 3 (Shah Alam) line
People waiting for the start of the LRT3 are disappointed to learn in December that LRT3 delays would continue with more testing required before the system can open for operations. We understand that safety is top of the list, but the waiting is really impacting those who rely on public transport. For example, one of our contacts had to pay RM41 for a trip to the near side of Klang recently, for a trip that would normally cost RM16-20 or less than RM5 for a ticket on the new Shah Alam LRT line. So the concerns are financial as well as an inconvenience.
Amir Hamdan, Prasarana CEO explained that the Shah Alam Line’s trial runs, fault-free runs, and trial operations were underway and they hoped to have these completed by mid-January. However, 33 issues had been identified during testing, mostly technical problems that could be fixed via software patches. Other issues included trains failing to dock accurately at platforms, departure failures, and doors not opening automatically, also impacted the testing schedule. The regulations require that one “Golden Train” must complete 4,000km without error. Five trains must complete 3,000km, and the remaining 18 trains 2,500km each without glitches.
In the last couple of weeks we have seen a big uptick in the number of runs making it down to the Klang end of the line, which suggests the end of the waiting may be close. The trains we observed appear to be quieter than the older trains on other lines and they have a cool design that some feel makes them look like penguins. Hence the nickname ‘Pingu’. We will bring updates as and when we have them.
KTM Komuter Port Klang – KL Sentral (and on to Tanjung Malin)
While we appreciate that safety is paramount, travellers, especially those in and around the Klang area have been doubly affected by the reduction in services by KTMB Komuter, currently running very limited services each way and an hour apart, morning and evening, with nothing in between 8.58am and 4.58pm from KL Sentral and between 9.25am and 5.25pm from Port Klang. Use this link to access the most recent timetable. They do update this link when there is a change, so make sure your time is the most recent one.
Notices at the stations indicate that the free shuttle service to and from Subang has ceased on 31st December. This means there is no way for travellers to go beyond Subang which they can reach by LRT, towards Port Klang. Latest observations suggest that the Port Klang-KL side is almost completed, however there seems to be no work happening on the KL-Port Klang side, currently being used as a single track.
West Coast Expressway (WCE)
Land acquisition has badly affected the completion the final section of the West Coast Expressway. These have apparently recently been solved and some of the remaining unfinished part of the road, Section3 and part of Section 4 will partially open from 18th March. From the progress seen recently, these have all been resolved and the missing sections are being completed although their is, as yet, no projected opening date for the complete highway. You can check for the latest updates on the WCE website, or follow Fawwaz Media’s excellent drone coverage for on-going progress.
And one last word about travel to KLIA and Subang Airport
Getting to the airport without driving is extremely challenging for travellers from Shah Alam and Klang. There is one bus from Klang, which departs hourly from Bukit Tinggi, and the Service from Shah Alam Section 17 has been suspended. Prior to the Covid 19 shutdowns, RapidKL ran a service which combined travel from anywhere on the LRT system to Putra Heights and then transfer to a Rapid KL bus to KLIA T1 and T2 which ran half-hourly. The cost was a very affordable RM10 one-way. Sadly, this was suspended during Covid, due to ‘No business’. Understandable, but now is probably a great time to reinstate this service, as well as the Subang Airport train (also cancelled during Covid) and this writer will be one who’ll happily use them, it was inexpensive, quick, clean and efficient.
images©ET
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