56 LRT train sets expected to operate on Kelana Jaya route in stages next year - Loke

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 56 sets of Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains are expected to operate in stages on the Kelana Jaya route by the third quarter of next year to increase the frequency of services during peak hours, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Currently, he said, only 38 sets of LRT trains were in operation during peak hours with a service frequency of five minutes, while the other 18 sets were unable to operate because they were going through various processes of maintenance.

"To achieve a frequency of three minutes, we need 48 sets of trains in operation... I have asked Prasarana (Prasarana Malaysia Berhad) to speed up the maintenance process.

"For the moment, we cannot commit to lowering the frequency to three minutes, it will remain at five minutes, if there are additional trains, we will increase (frequency)," he told a press conference here today.

According to Loke, Prasarana has bought 19 new train sets for the same route, with the first unit to be in operation in August next year to provide a better and comfortable service.

Loke said Prasarana would also carry out major maintenance of the LRT system, including the power generator, to ensure safer and more stable services.

"Currently, the service is still not stable, I apologise to the passengers because during these few months there will still be service disruptions from time to time, but the management has been told to give the most serious attention to having a backup plan, stricter SOP (standard operating procedure) to minimise service disruption," he added.

He said that the report on the cause of the closure of 16 Kelana Jaya LRT stations last month is expected to be completed in two weeks and will be announced to the public.

Meanwhile, Loke said the ministry would award contracts for the replacement of more than 16 elevator facilities at monorail stations in February next year, apart from ordering 192 handrail units and 22 step chain units to repair 46 of the 706 existing escalators.

He said the ministry had also identified more than 600 light bulbs that were not working and 17 locations with leakage problems that needed immediate action.

Loke said he had also instructed the management of the Land Division of the Transport Ministry to expand the scope of the committee for all public transport facilities in the Klang Valley for a more comprehensive public transport ecosystem.

"Now, they have an audit committee between the Ministry of Transport and Prasarana, but in my opinion, the scope is not only for Prasarana, it needs to include various agencies, the local authorities and other (transport) operators, such as Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad," he added.

He said Prasarana will also study incentives for the first mile and last mile, including the use of e-hailing to encourage people to use public transport.

A study, including the financial implications, would be carried out for the purpose, he added.

-- BERNAMA