LRT KJ line lacking in trains, only 38 out of 56 train sets operational

Transport minister, Anthony Loke, has shared his findings after going on an 'undercover' ride along the LRT Kelana Jaya line during rush hour.

A working visit to the Prasarana office plus a press conference led to the conclusion that out of the 56 train sets that are under the Prasarana umbrella, only 38 sets are in operation while the other 18 have been under maintenance for quite some time.

48 train sets needed to handle the rush hour crowd

*Image credit: Bernama

According to Anthony Loke, at least 48 train sets are needed to handle the busiest LRT and MRT network in the Klang Valley. To ensure that the average of 200,000 commuters can travel with ease and comfort, the train frequency must be set at one train for every three minutes. In order for that to be achievable, 48 train sets are needed.

To date, Loke also stated that only 38 train sets are running the LRT/MRT network, which resulted in the frequency of trains being pushed to once every five minutes. Gaining back the stability is one of Loke's priorities and together with Prasarana, they're targetting for better service stability by June 2023.

It was also mentioned that 19 new train sets have been ordered to cope with the number of commuters, which is planned to go into operation by the third quarter of 2023.

Escalators, elevators, and others are also priorities

*Image credit: Anthony Loke FB page

Apart from focusing on the frequency of trains, Loke also noted that there's a severe lack of maintenance and repair works for the facilities at several train stations. 46 out of 706 escalators were found to be out of order and even more severe, 16 elevators are not in service.

Loke also stated that new step chain elevators have been ordered to help remedy the situation but in the meantime, auxiliary police and attendants have been on alert to assist the less able-bodied passengers (OKU).