Loke says LRT suffers from train shortages, faulty elevators/escalators and lighting – new trains will launch in Q3 2023
Earlier this week, transport minister Anthony Loke made a spot check of the Kelana Jaya LRT Line, rides on trains from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to observe rush hour conditions on rail service. Neither the media nor the Prasarana management were informed.
Loke has since revealed his findings. He pointed out that the frequency of trains running during peak hours is not enough and said that although the line has 56 trains, only 38 trains operate. This has caused the train frequency to drop to every five minutes instead of three minutes as expected.
“This is the busiest line in the LRT and MRT network in the Klang Valley, where an average of 200,000 passengers use the Kelana Jaya line. For the frequency of trains running every three minutes, we need 48 trains. However, we only have 38 trains in operation, while 18 trains are undergoing maintenance in the past few months,” he said at a press conference after visiting and working at the Prasarana office.
“So far, the service has not been completely stable and I apologize for that. We will ensure that technical and maintenance issues are taken seriously. We hope that by June next year everything will be stable,” he added.
Loke added that train frequency will continue to be maintained for a period of five minutes, but expects the issue to be resolved by the third quarter of 2023 with the arrival of 19 new four-carriage trains, such as Berita Harian report. “The first complex will be operational in August next year and it is very important to ensure a better, faster and more comfortable service,” he said.
The return transport minister also noted that the problems related to rail service are not limited to trains, because he noted that 46 out of 706 escalators at various train stations are currently out of service. , while 16 elevators at different monorail stations were not working. . In terms of lighting, it was shown that there were 664 defective lamp units.
Loke announced that new chain handrails and escalators have been ordered, but for now, support police or station staff have been instructed to assist vulnerable passengers (OKUs) at stations. as a temporary measure.
He added that a full report on Kelana Jaya LRT service closure in November is being prepared by Prasarana, with the results of the investigation expected to be known in two weeks. Loke said the findings will be made public.
