Those relying on the Kelana Jaya LRT line may have found the service to be unreliable as of late, to say the least. The line has been plagued with frequent disruptions recently, leaving commuters feeling frustrated. Now, Transport Minister Anthony Loke has offered an explanation for the issues. According to the minister, the disruptions can be attributed to ageing trains requiring replacement.
Speaking at the Dewan Rakyat, Loke declared that the ministry has started procuring new train sets. That said, most of the trains are expected to arrive within the next two years. The minister also asserted that the Transport Ministry will always prioritise passenger comfort and convenience.
No budget cuts
Loke’s statement came as a response to a question from Dr Halimah Ali (PN–Kapar), who asked why the Kelana Jaya LRT line was facing frequent disruptions. Dr Halimah also wanted to know if insufficient maintenance funding factored into the situation.
Loke denied that maintenance budgets have been cut. He went on to say that despite the financial constraints, maintenance has not been compromised and no cuts have been made to upkeep. Additionally, the minister noted that future projects will take overall cost scope into consideration. This includes long-term service agreements, and not just the purchase of the train sets. Apparently, there were no long-term service agreements in the past. But now, the ministry is planning to negotiate with the original equipment manufacturer to provide long-term service agreements.
Delays and hiccups
Previously, the Kelana Jaya LRT line was hit by disruptions on 27 February. Due to a technical glitch, a train had to be removed from service. This was not the first incident of the week, as it occurred just days after another disruption on 24 February.
In fact, on that particular day, the line saw two instances of technical glitches. The first took place at around 8am, during which a faulty train needed to be operated manually. This led to a 90-minute delay. Then in the afternoon, a malfunction with both train and platform doors at KLCC station resulted in significant congestion.
(Source: New Straits Times)
