ID :
17471
Sat, 08/30/2008 - 11:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/17471
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RM35 BLN FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- The government will spend RM35 billion in the next five years to make public transportation more efficient in efforts to overcome woes faced by commuters almost daily such as delays, breakdowns and lack of buses and trains.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said when tabling the 2009 Budget in
the Lower House of Parliament Friday that the hefty sum would be expended from
2009 to 2014 to enhance the capacity of existing rail services, build new
tracks, increase the number of buses as well as provide better infrastructure
facilities.
Abdullah, who himself had a first-hand account on the state of public
transportation system in the city recently, believed that a more efficient,
reliable and integrated public transportation, which provides seamless travel
and greater frequency and services, is required.
He said the existing light rail transit (LRT) system in the Klang Valley
would be extended by 30 km, that is 15 km repectively, for Kelana Jaya and
Ampang lines.
Upon completion in 2011, the extensions are expected to benefit 2.6 million
residents in the Subang Jaya-USJ and Kinrara-Puchong areas, compared with 1.9
million currently, he said.
He said 35 train carriages for the Kelana Jaya Line have been procured
costing RM1.3 billion and these trains would be fully operational by early 2010.
With these measures, he said, the capacity of the Kelana Jaya Line would be
more than double from the current 160,000 passengers daily to 350,000 while for
the Ampang Line, it would increase from 150,000 to 280,000.
To further expand the urban rail service network in the Klang Valley, a new
LRT line would be built along a 42-km route from Kota Damansara to Cheras, he
said.
The new line, with a capacity exceeding 300,000 passengers daily, would
provide rail services to more that one million residents in the vicinity upon
completion in 2014, he said.
Abdullah said the commuter rail services of the national rail service
(Keretapi Tanah Melayu or KTMB)would be upgraded.
Rehabilitation works are being undertaken on the existing 20 Electric
Multiple Units (EMU) and expected to be completed in 2009, he said.
An additional 13 new units of EMU would be acquired and operational by
2011,
he said.
With this, the capacity of KTM Commuter is expected to increase from the
current 350,000 to 500,000 passengers daily, he said.
To expand the commuter rail services network, a 7.5 km Sentul-Batu Caves
line is under construction and expected to be completed by 2010, he
said.
Abdullah said an integrated transport terminal is being built in Bandar
Tasik Selatan to provide facilities for inter-urban taxis and buses, especially
from the southern region of the Peninsular.
The terminal, which is expected to be operational in 2011, can accomodate
more than 130 taxis and 100 buses and provide connectivity to Ampang Line, ERL
and KTM Commuter.
Abdullah said a new integrated transport terminal would be built to provide
facilities for inter-urban taxis and buses from the northern region.
He also said RapidPenang bus services would be extended to cover 14 new
routes in Penang and its ridership is expected to increase to 120,000 passengers
daily by end of 2009.
RapidPenang currently serves 33 routes in 106 housing areas with 46,000
passengers daily.
-- BERNAMA
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said when tabling the 2009 Budget in
the Lower House of Parliament Friday that the hefty sum would be expended from
2009 to 2014 to enhance the capacity of existing rail services, build new
tracks, increase the number of buses as well as provide better infrastructure
facilities.
Abdullah, who himself had a first-hand account on the state of public
transportation system in the city recently, believed that a more efficient,
reliable and integrated public transportation, which provides seamless travel
and greater frequency and services, is required.
He said the existing light rail transit (LRT) system in the Klang Valley
would be extended by 30 km, that is 15 km repectively, for Kelana Jaya and
Ampang lines.
Upon completion in 2011, the extensions are expected to benefit 2.6 million
residents in the Subang Jaya-USJ and Kinrara-Puchong areas, compared with 1.9
million currently, he said.
He said 35 train carriages for the Kelana Jaya Line have been procured
costing RM1.3 billion and these trains would be fully operational by early 2010.
With these measures, he said, the capacity of the Kelana Jaya Line would be
more than double from the current 160,000 passengers daily to 350,000 while for
the Ampang Line, it would increase from 150,000 to 280,000.
To further expand the urban rail service network in the Klang Valley, a new
LRT line would be built along a 42-km route from Kota Damansara to Cheras, he
said.
The new line, with a capacity exceeding 300,000 passengers daily, would
provide rail services to more that one million residents in the vicinity upon
completion in 2014, he said.
Abdullah said the commuter rail services of the national rail service
(Keretapi Tanah Melayu or KTMB)would be upgraded.
Rehabilitation works are being undertaken on the existing 20 Electric
Multiple Units (EMU) and expected to be completed in 2009, he said.
An additional 13 new units of EMU would be acquired and operational by
2011,
he said.
With this, the capacity of KTM Commuter is expected to increase from the
current 350,000 to 500,000 passengers daily, he said.
To expand the commuter rail services network, a 7.5 km Sentul-Batu Caves
line is under construction and expected to be completed by 2010, he
said.
Abdullah said an integrated transport terminal is being built in Bandar
Tasik Selatan to provide facilities for inter-urban taxis and buses, especially
from the southern region of the Peninsular.
The terminal, which is expected to be operational in 2011, can accomodate
more than 130 taxis and 100 buses and provide connectivity to Ampang Line, ERL
and KTM Commuter.
Abdullah said a new integrated transport terminal would be built to provide
facilities for inter-urban taxis and buses from the northern region.
He also said RapidPenang bus services would be extended to cover 14 new
routes in Penang and its ridership is expected to increase to 120,000 passengers
daily by end of 2009.
RapidPenang currently serves 33 routes in 106 housing areas with 46,000
passengers daily.
-- BERNAMA
