MRT Corp said transport minister Loke Siew Fook formally approved and signed off on the project today, following a public inspection exercise held from September to December last year.

It said the company received over 45,000 written feedback in that period, of which 93.3% expressed support for MRT3, also known as the Circle Line.

“We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to MPs, Selangor assemblymen, resident associations and business groups for their cooperation and consultation that led to such strong public support,” MRT Corp CEO Zarif Hashim said in a statement.

The company has made several improvements to the placement of stations and viaducts along MRT3’s alignment and design based on the feedback given, it said.

MRT Corp now only needs to acquire 690 lots of land for the project, compared with 1,012 previously, which it said minimises impact on affected communities.

It added that the latest alignment followed close collaboration with agencies like the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad), Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Ampang Jaya Municipal Council and the public works department (JKR), among others.

“With today’s approval, the land acquisition process can now commence and is targeted for completion by the end of 2026. MRT Corp will be reaching out to the affected communities and updating them on the improvements made in their respective areas,” the company said.

MRT3 will serve as the final piece of the Klang Valley MRT network, connecting various mass rapid and light rail transits to form a comprehensive network.

The 51km rail line will be able to accommodate 25,000 passengers per hour in each direction, with a complete journey on MRT3 taking 73 minutes.