MALAYSIA: Project delivery company MRT Corp has confirmed that the first section of the MRT Line 1 between Sungai Buloh and Semantan will open in December, with the remainder of the 51 km automated metro line to Kajang opening in July next year.
MRT Corp is a special purpose vehicle that was set up by the government to manage the construction of three metro lines in the greater Kuala Lumpur city region. Once completed, the lines would be handed to transport authority Prasarana which would operate them under the Rapid KL brand used for the city’s other metro, monorail and bus services.
MRT Corp says that an initial fleet of 24 trains will be used to operate the first section of MRT Line 1, which is also known as the SBK Line. Siemens has completed 40 of the 58 four-car driverless trainsets it is supplying under a contract awarded in 2012, and these are now undergoing final fit-out by local partner SMH Rail, the car bodies having been produced under sub-contract in China by CRRC Puzhen.
The special purpose company is proceeding with the award of contracts for construction of MRT Line 2; the 56 km SSP route linking Sungai Buloh with Putrajaya is due to open in the first half of 2022. Meanwhile, MRT Corp has also confirmed its intention to develop a third line in the Klang Valley, with a decision on a final alignment expected to be made by early 2017 at the latest. MRT Corp envisages that this would be an entirely underground circular route aimed at reducing congestion in the city centre.
An interview with the Chief Executive of Malaysia’s National Land Transport Commission will appear in the October issue of Railway Gazette International.
