KUALA LUMPUR – The proposed RM4.7 billion allocation for the revived construction of five LRT3 stations will run the gamut of infrastructure requirements and be utilised on key priority areas under the project’s approved scope, Prasarana Malaysia Bhd has explained.
The nation’s public transportation systems and services operator said that the allocation covers multiple aspects of the project, which was previously cancelled in 2018 during the Pakatan Harapan administration led by then-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Prasarana’s response was to allay misconceptions that the cost of building each station was almost RM1 billion.
The five stations involved are Tropicana, Raja Muda, Temasya, Bukit Raja and Bandar Botanik.
A portion of the allocation, Prasarana said in a response to Scoop, will go to the physical construction and provisions to support the five stations, including power supply, distribution and communication systems costs.
“(The allocation will also go to) the procurement of three additional three-car train sets to maintain the three-minute headway for LRT3, since the journey time for each train from end-to-end will be slightly longer with the additional stations.
“We also need to expand the train depot, which involves adding a new stabling track that covers the trackwork and power conductor rail, signalling and train control system, depot equipment and maintenance vehicle.”
Besides that, Prasarana is also planning to install a Platform Screen Door System for all 25 stations to enhance passenger safety in line with modern urban railway practices.
Other costs include those involving an Independent Checking Engineer (ICE), project management, fees to local authorities and service providers, duties and taxes, interests during construction, insurance as well as legal fees.
Besides that, the allocation will also be used for various other spending independent of the reinstatement of the five stations, including payment for land acquisition under the original rail scope of work and for the purpose of building bus depots along the LRT3 alignment to serve all 25 stations.
Other expenditures include payment to additional costs incurred for annual insurance premiums and ICE fees due to the extension of time for works to be completed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the development of the Automatic Fare Collection system.
Prasarana added that the final cost of the project will only be known once the actual construction costs of all the elements have been determined.
“This will be based on analysis and advice from the ICE to ensure cost optimisation.”
Prasarana also noted that it is targeting to resume works on the revived stations by the end of this year, after all preliminary works have been completed and necessary approvals are obtained.
The project, it said, is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2027.
“It must be noted that the reinstatement of the five stations will not affect the scheduled commencement of train services for the 20 stations. The Revenue Service Date 1 target for these 20 stations remains as March, 2025.”
Previously, Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun raised concerns about the disparity in costs between the estimated construction expenses for the five stations and the Penang LRT project, which encompasses 23 stations and carries an estimated price tag of RM10 billion.
During the tabling of Budget 2024 on October 13, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the revival of the five stations is expected to improve the public transport network in the Klang Valley and benefit two million citizens at a cost of RM4.7 billion.
During a visit to the Tropicana area, Scoop spoke to several residents who welcomed the project’s re-commencement as good news due to increased ease of public transportation access. – October 30, 2023