The fasting month of Ramadan marks a shift in commuter travel patterns. To accommodate this change, Prasarana will be extending the peak hour operations of Rapid Rail throughout this period.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that the morning peak period will begin earlier at 6.30am and will run until 9.30am. This marks a 30-minute increase, compared to the usual period of 7am to 9.30am. Similarly, the evening peak period during Ramadan will stretch from 4pm to 8pm. For comparison, the regular peak hour operations throughout the rest of the year run from 5pm to 7.30pm.
According to Loke, this extension is carried out annually and serves to ensure smoother services, as well as improve passenger comfort. Other than that, the minister asserted that the change aims to guarantee operational efficiency, specifically in terms of managing passenger movement as commuters journey home to break fast.
Aside from disclosing the change in Rapid Rail operations during Ramadan, Loke addressed the issues of train disruptions. He noted that Prasarana remains prepared to manage incidents, as measures are in place at all times and not just during the fasting month.
Loke went on to clarify that the company practices predictive and preventive maintenance, ensuring continuous regular upkeep of the trains and systems. This should reduce the possibility of technical disruptions. However, the minister acknowledged that technical disruptions can be difficult to predict or contain.
In any case, Loke assured that efforts are underway to mitigate such incidents to minimise inconvenience to passengers. Beyond that, he explained that station management teams have received training for managing crowds and congestion during disruptions.
Earlier today, the Kelana Jaya LRT line experienced delays as several trains required removal over technical problems. The issue occurred during this morning’s peak hour period, although it has since been resolved. This incident follows another disruption that took place on the first day of Ramadan.
(Source: New Straits Times, Bernama)
