Sungai Buloh-Kajang MRT line on track to begin operations by end of 2016

The Sun Daily,  26 February 2016 

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The Sungai Buloh-Kajang line is expected to begin operations by the end of 2016. PIX courtesy of MRT Corp

KUALA LUMPUR: The first phase of the Mass Rapid Transit's (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Kajang line (SBK) between Sungai Buloh and Semantan is expected to begin operations by the end of this year.

"We are looking forward to the opening of Phase 1 at the end of this year," SBK Line Project Director Marcus Karakashian said today.

He said track work on the gateway has been completed and an actual electric train is being tested along the Kwasa Sentral and Surian station stretch.

The underground stations are now getting fitted with electrical and mechanical equipment, he told reporters after the Bench Design Competition award ceremony at the MRT Depot's KVMRT Training Centre here today.

"There is still a lot of work awaiting (to be done)," he said, adding that Phase 1 is on track but definitely not ahead of schedule.

He said integrated testing is likely to be done in September.

The six winners of the competition each bagged a RM7,000 cash prize for their entries for one of six stations — Muzium Negara, Merdeka, Pasar Seni, Tun Razak Exchange, Cochrane and Maluri. —Bernama

MRT developer: Old drainage system caused floods in village

The Star, Saturday, 2 January 2016

MMC Gamuda KVMRT (PDP) Sdn Bhd said in a statement that flooding at Kampung Bukit Dukung (KBD), Kajang has always been a key concern of PDP and its contractors since the initiation of the Klang Valley MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line project.

The area has been flood-prone since 1999.

It said the flash flood at the village was primarily attributed to the old drainage system surrounding the area, as well as rainwater runoff from Jalan Cheras Lama.

Additionally, the capacity of the Anak Sungai Long Kechil river should be reviewed, said PDP in the statement.

The company added that together with its contractors, they have been working closely with the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) and the Selangor Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) to take immediate, short-term as well as long-term measures to curb flooding at KBD.

Besides continuously maintaining all drainage outlets within the MRT worksite, to-date one retention pond has been constructed inside the MRT worksite, with another two retention ponds under construction as flood mitigation measures.

With regard to press reports on residents affected by the flood; the Emergency Response Team comprising workers from MRT contractors have always been deployed to assist whenever the hotline was contacted, it said.

Kajang property prices to surge with MRT project: Ahmad Maslan

The New Straits Times, 15 March 2014 

KUALA LUMPUR: Property prices in Kajang are expected to surge with the availability of better public transport infrastructure like the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan.

Business activity in the town, the last station on the Sungai Buloh-Kajang MRT line, will also be enhanced with the better bus, rail and taxi connectivity, he told reporters while on a working visit to the MRT project in Jalan Reko, Kajang, near here today.

 

Ahmad said the the country's most modern public transport mode will enable Kajang residents to travel safely and conveniently to destinations in the Klanag Valley without the hassle of traffic jams while saving time.

 

The high-capacity MRT project, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when tabling Budget 2011 on Oct 15, 2010, is expected to be completed in July 2017.

 

"The MRT is also expected to raise public transport ridership to at least 40 per cent," said Ahmad.-- BERNAMA

Read more: Kajang property prices to surge with MRT project: Ahmad Maslan - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/kajang-property-prices-to-surge-with-mrt-project-ahmad-maslan-1.514745#ixzz2wCsSTR9X

Traffic change, lane closures announced (MRT)

The New Straits Times, Monday, 16 Sept 2013

KUALA LUMPUR: Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) has announced that traffic in Jalan Kelab (in front of Kajang Stadium) will be realigned for a stretch of 200 metres from tomorrow until June 17, 2016. (Refer to Map 1)

Traffic entering Jalan Kelab will be diverted to a newly paved lane. Some of the parking bays in front of the stadium have been taken up and a new parking area has been constructed in front of Muzium Sate.

The realignment is to facilitate preparation works for the construction of MRT piers and Bandar Kajang MRT Station.

MRT Corp also announced that the temporary partial night lane closure in Jalan Cheras (in both directions near Cheras Sentral/Plaza Phoenix), from 10pm to 5am daily, has been extended to Sept 30.

This is to facilitate the demolition of the pedestrian bridge in front of Cheras Sentral in preparation for the construction of MRT piers and Plaza Phoenix MRT station.

The traffic will be stopped for 10 minutes, in both directions, during the lifting of the bridge to ensure the safety of road users.

MRT Corp said there would be a temporary night road closure in Jalan Kamuning and Jalan Delima, off Jalan Tun Razak, from tomorrow until Oct 17, from 10pm to 6am daily.

This is to facilitate the delivery and off-loading of tunnel boring machine components to the MRT construction site in Jalan Kamuning.

Motorists are reminded to drive carefully near MRT worksites and follow directional signs.

Safety barriers, hoardings and traffic cones will be installed at the work sites to ensure that road users and pedestrians are informed of ongoing works. A 24-hour MRT Ronda will be patrolling the routes to attend to emergencies.

For details, visit www.mymrt.com.my or www.mymrt-underground.com.my, twitter @MRTMalaysia or twitter @MyMRT Underground or call the MRT Hotline at 1-800 82 6868.

Read more: Traffic change, lane closures announced - Central - New Straits Timeshttp://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/traffic-change-lane-closures-announced-1.356674#ixzz2f824ZWVq

The Star, Sunday July 15, 2012

MCA sacrifices new building to make way for MRT project

KAJANG: The MCA has “sacrificed” a nearly completed four-storey building for the party here for the Sungai Buloh-Kajang line of the mass rapid transit (MRT) project.

This follows strong protest by residents and property owners to the initial alignment which would have led to the demolition of 28 shoplots along Jalan Besar in the town centre.

The protests came after the plan was put up by developers MRT Corp for public display last year.

In the re-alignment, MCA had agreed to demolish its RM1.5mil building, which would have housed the party's Hulu Langat division headquarters.

Work on the building started in 2010 and was said to be about 90% completed.

“It was not an easy decision to make but sacrifices need to be done for the sake of development,” said Selangor MCA chief Datuk Donald Lim at a public briefing by MRT Corp here yesterday.

MRT Corp is a government-linked company set up for the purpose of carrying out Malaysia's first integrated mass rapid transit railway.

Lim, who is Deputy Finance Minister, thanked the Hulu Langat MCA, saying if not for their sacrifice the 28 shoplots would have to be demolished.

He said the amount of compensation was still under discussion.

Division chairman Lee Ban Seng said construction stalled a few months ago after MRT Corp informed them the building had to go.

He said the division had yet to decide on a new location for its headquarters, adding that they were currently housed in a rented shoplot.

MRT Corp director of Stakeholders and Land Haris Fadzilah Hassan said MRT Corp had another re-alignment plan that would not affect the MCA building.

He added that, however, it would affect a housing area and at least 13 terrace houses would have to be acquired for the purpose.

“Traffic impact during construction would be less with this new alignment as it will avoid the town's main thoroughfare,” he said.

Under the MRT plan for the town there would be three stations, with “park and ride” facilities serving between here and Saujana Impian Kajang.

The Kajang town station will share the Kajang KTM Komuter station and passengers will be able to switch lines.

The 51km Sungai Buloh-Kajang line, which is the first under the MRT project, is expected to be fully operational by 2017.

It will have 31 stations and an estimated 88-minute end-to-end journey time.

The Star, Saturday March 17, 2012

Up-to-date info on MRT

IN ANTICIPATION of the MyRapid Transit (MRT) project, MRT Corporation has geared up with packed information for the public at all times.

Five MRT Info Centres have been established in Kota Damansara, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL Sentral, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn and Kajang.

Since they began operation in November 2011, some 10,000 people have visited the centres which channel vital and up-to-date information to the public on the next phase of the transportation system.

Hello: A staff member attending to a call at the centre

 

A kiosk has been set up in Bukit Bintang while a mobile info van, which will be rolled out in a month’s time, will be reaching to local communities along the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang line.

The centres are strategically placed in areas with high volume of traffic, to serve as a one-stop centre for comprehensive information with feedback avenues.

There is also an interactive “Hawk-Eye” 360-degree application that gives visitors a virtual view of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang alignment.

So far, the info centres have received positive feedback as people are able to obtain vital information at an early stage.

Information officers at the centres and call centres provide almost immediate feedback to queries raised by concerned public.

Ready to serve: Information officers are prepared to answer queries from the public.

 

Speaking more about the info centres MMC Gamuda KVMRT (PDP) Sdn Bhd general manager (project management department) Adil Putra Ahmad said they were prepared for the good, the bad and the ugly in disseminating information related to the project.

He said since end of January, a system had been set up to get all the complaints and feedback locked in before any action was taken.

Taking the lead from previous train projects, Adil said they were well aware of what to expect.

“Usually when construction starts, the number of complaints picks up, but for now we have received mostly positive feedback from the public. We aim to empathise with the public to resolve their grouses.

“We will have traffic announcements, put up notices on traffic diversion and management programme to minimise the effects on the public.

“The contractors have even started their safeguard traffic plans and this was made sure during the tender process.

“Emergency response team, safety measures, people manning traffic and environmental factors are all taken into consideration because we want to minimise the inconveniences to the public,” he said.

Adil added that information or complaints would be vetted with the site managers before further action was taken to rectify problems.

“Sometimes five out of 10 complaints received may not be related. That is why all feedback received by the system, whether they are emails or SMSes, are transmitted to the ground personnel to be checked.

“They have to investigate within 15 minutes after receiving a complaint to get a clearer picture of the problem. However, the speed of the response will depend on the nature of the complaint.

“Traffic will be a major concern, so early preparations are needed as some of the schemes need one to two months of approval from the relevant authorities and stakeholders,” he said.

He added that they would be going to schools and engaging residents’ associations in areas surrounding the MRT line with activities and events as a way to inform the communities.

For details on the MRT, call the hotline at 1-800-82-6868 or visit www.kvmrt.com.my

Proposed MRT line to bypass Kajang town (change to earlier proposal)

The new proposal as reported by The Star below may be a better alternative. If I have the time, I should go and see the proposal for myself at the MPK building. I suppose this is not the end of the issue as yet.

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Wednesday October 5, 2011

Proposed MRT line to bypass Kajang town

THE new proposed route for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Kajang line will avoid the Kajang town and run along Sungai Langat instead.

There will be an exhibition at Menara Kajang on the changes to the proposed routes.

The exhibition, which began on Oct 3, will be held for three months.

All who signed in the feedback book have agreed to the proposed line.

The previous proposal saw the MRT line cutting through Kajang town affecting 39 shop owners.

Kajang assemblyman Lee Kim Sin said some of the businesses in Kajang town had been passed down from one generation to another and as such the heritage of the town and old streets would be destroyed.

“Furthermore, construction of the line in Kajang town will cause congestion,” Lee said.

Hence, some of them came up with an alternative route that runs along the Sungai Langat river bank.

Chin Kon Teng, who has been affected by the previous proposed route, was happy that his shop would be spared.

“There will be less land acquisition, which in turn will lower the MRT construction cost,” he said.

Lee said this would be a win-win situation for Kajang residents and Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (Prasarana), the owner of the project.

“By avoiding Kajang town, there will be less land acquisition and the KTM land reserve will be used for the line.

“If the current proposed route is approved, it will spur the economy as well as increase property value,” he said.

The MRT line will have a ripple effect in Kajang, spurring the construction of a new town hall and sports complex, and a commercial centre near the Kajang station.

“The Kajang station will be a one-stop transportation centre and the council will work together with Prasarana to provide shuttle bus services,” he said.

MMC-Gamuda JV Sdn Bhd was appointed as the Project Delivery Partner to manage the project and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) was appointed to supervise the project.

The Sungai Buloh-Kajang line spans 51km with 35 stations.

The proposed line connects Sungai Buloh to Kajang, passing by Taman Suntex, Taman Cuepacs, Taman Koperasi, Balakong, Saujana Impian and Bandar Tun Hussein Onn.

To know more about the new proposed routes for the Sungai Buloh-Kajang line and give feedback, you can go to Kajang Municipal Council building in Jalan Cempaka Putih, off Jalan Semenyih, Kajang.