Goh Bok Yen, who has more than 30 years of consulting experience in urban-rural transportation, said the project was the “missing” puzzle piece that would complete the track-based public transport system in Greater Kuala Lumpur.
“MRT, KTM, LRT and monorail lines have been functioning on their own before this without a coordinated system in place.
“MRT3, which runs in a circle, will not only enhance the existing MRT lines but also allow all other lines to operate at an optimum level,” he told FMT.
Safizahanin Mokhtar of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said the proposed expansion of MRT lines would bring significant benefits to previously underserved neighbourhoods in Gombak, Cheras and Segambut.
Existing plans, which have yet to be finalised, show the line will service residential areas near Jalan Langkawi, Danau Kota and Rejang in Setapak as well as Sri Hartamas, Taman Sri Sinar and Dutamas in Segambut.
“These neighbourhoods will now be connected to the wider Klang Valley network, allowing for seamless travel to key employment, commercial and recreational hubs,” she told FMT.
Safizahanin said aside from benefitting from a comprehensive rail network, passengers would be able to reduce travel times and costs by taking shorter routes using interchange stations.
The Circle Line will stretch 51km around Kuala Lumpur and feature 32 stations, including 10 interchange stations.
In 2022, MRT Corp CEO Zarif Hashim said MRT3 would form the backbone of the Kuala Lumpur transit network once completed, and is designed to facilitate a seamless switch from one mode of transportation to another.
Zarif also said the project, described as the “final piece” of Kuala Lumpur’s transit system jigsaw, would complete the network envisaged under the 2010 urban rail development blueprint.
Last year, transport minister Loke Siew Fook said the project’s alignment would take two years to be finalised, with the acquisition process involving 1,012 plots of land set to begin this year.
Commute to improve significantly
William Tham, who just completed his master’s degree at Universiti Malaya, said he expected his commute to improve significantly with the construction of the Circle Line after having experienced the struggle of travelling from the Universiti LRT station to other stations on the MRT lines.
“Usually, the (quickest) way to get between them is by bus. But traffic along Jalan Universiti heading up towards the highway is honestly terrible. If your timing is bad, you will get stuck in traffic,” he said.
With an MRT3 connecting station set to be built at the Universiti LRT station, he said he would only be two stops away from the Bukit Kiara Selatan station on the MRT Kajang line.
Than also commended the proposal to build a station adjacent to the University Malaya Medical Centre, highlighting its benefit to both university students and those seeking medical care.
Accept public feedback
Goh encouraged MRTCorp to continue engaging the public on the proposed Circle Line alignment, stressing that the input is crucial in identifying potential “weak points” in the plan.
“MRT3 is quite well selected in terms of the stations, but still, they might miss out on a few things, which will be pointed out in the feedback (process),” he said.
Safizahanin urged MRT operators to take into consideration challenges that may arise with the anticipated hike in ridership, including issues surrounding the availability of “park ‘n ride” facilities at the new stations.
“MRT3 has the potential to enhance connectivity and accessibility, but only if appropriate measures are taken to address the demand for parking lots and efficient shuttle bus services,” she said.