the mass rapid transit transport system is estimated to cost RM36b. (read here) lobbying has begun as to where the lines should run & stations be located. naturally, the shopping malls & commercial owners want the stations nearby their premises while home residents want them as far as possible, both for obvious reasons.
i don't live in the klang valley but the few times that i've used the LRT/Star trains, i find the whole exercise inconvenient, to say the least. when i needed to switch lines, i have to exit one station & walk to another station some distance away & then purchase another ticket. but i can actually understand why that happened - because the different lines were constructed at different times & by different parties.
now that there is a Urban Transport masterplan in place, hopefully when the whole thing is up & running (estimated to complete in 2016), there is some semblance of a much needed smooth (dare i say seamless?) travelling experience. hopefully they don't need to send some more people for study trips to europe/america to learn how to design/construct/manage a MRT. they only need to look south.
call me a pessimist but going by past events, i suspect terms like "unexpected delays" & "cost over-runs" to be bandied around in time to come.
however, i would like to be proven wrong.
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I'm tired just thinking about our public transportations. I seldom go shopping so I don't need stations near shopping malls. I need them at general hospitals, government offices, utility offices, universities, markets, community parks, the beach, public libraries..
the ruling government should also think of doing a favor for their muslim breathen by building an MRT near the mosque and save the rest of us from traffic jams!
Malaysia sounds like a one-stop commercial hub than a nation state.
I have my doubts the MRT system would work well. Look at the LRT system. It's not well-connected and our public transportation system is a big mess.
:( oh dear... there's gonna be a massive jam near my place! adding on to the bloody lousy town planning around my area, the construction's gonna be a NIGHTMARE!
Yvonne,
well, let's just see how many stations will be built near govt offices, hospitals, etc.
even if a station is located near a mosque, it wouldn't have made much difference because people leave from their offices & not from homes.
MT,
you could say this is the last throw of the dice - if it doesn't work out, i don't see how anything else will work.
Medie,
thinking of moving?
whatever it is , we are still WAY behind our neighbour country ( if u know which one I'm referring to ) when it comes to public transportation.
UG,
not only in public transport but also in many other aspects - list is too long to elaborate.
If people leave from their offices, it might be better since I doubt they will build an MRT in a housing estate. Offices are located within commercial areas nowadays.
Yvonne,
what i meant is that people drive from their homes to office, & to go to mosques, they will drive from their offices.
unless MRT stations are located at all housing estates & near office hubs, people will still drive.
Oh... hmmm.... I had a friend who drove to his office and then take the LRT to court. He's a lawyer.
Yvonne,
he seems like a sensible & practical lawyer.
I find it illogical that some parties complain about trains not servicing their residence, and some other parties protesting lines being built near their houses.
Adino,
they could be the same people - they want the train service but not the stations/lines too near their homes.
do you recall that a few years ago... some company, i think garuda... was given the contract to build the double tract railway connecting kl and ipoh. upon completion, it is supposed to be able to connect kl-ipoh with speed train....
the project has actually been completed... but then, they found out that the trains they purchased were lau-yahs... cannot go fast...
case under "investigation" i think.
mrt? it's going to do down our stomach and come out as shit... just like those nice nasi lemak char kuey teow and bak kut teh.
Zewt,
the double-track construction was given to a JV between gamuda & MMC but i didn't realise it was already complete as there was no further news on it. besides, the commencement of the commuter train service between KL & ipoh gave me the impression that the double-track is still under construction.
given the transport chaos in the country, i'm also sceptical the MRT will meet the high expectations of the suffering rakyat. however, i heard the bus service in penang has improved by leaps & bounds.
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