Refurbishment work at Ipoh Railway Station will start by end of March. — Filepic
Waiting area, cafe and toilets among facilities to be refurbished
Ipoh Railway Station will see the start of some upgrading work at the end of the month.
A Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) spokesperson said facilities at the station that needed repairs and upgrades had been taken into account and necessary improvement would be done to increase passenger comfort.
“We had several visits with KTM Bhd (KTMB) to identify immediate upgrading works to ensure commuters are comfortable.
“Upgrading works at the waiting area and toilets are expected to start at the end of March.
“The arrival and departure area, which is now in one area, will be separated.”
The spokesperson added that the upgrading works coincided with the Visit Perak Year 2024 campaign that was expected to draw two million visitors.
“As for the cafe area, upgrading works in the space will be conducted along with the station’s Hotel Management and Redevelopment Plan via a request for proposal (RFP).
“An advertisement for the RFP is scheduled to be published this month,” the spokesperson added.
A reader, Ashraff Gomes, recently had said that the Ipoh Railway Station was in desperate need of a thorough makeover.
In his letter titled “Basic amenities needed at Ipoh railway station” published in The Star on Feb 17, it was pointed out that passengers and tourists were greeted by a gloomy sight of broken ceiling panels, dirty floors, filthy toilets and bird droppings.
Some parking bays were even turned into illegal dumpsites.
He also called for amenities like waiting hall, information counter, train indicator board, a decent cafe, CCTV cameras, security services and automated teller machines, to be provided.
In response through a letter published on Feb 22, KTMB thanked the reader while noting that the building was under RAC’s purview whereas premises away from the station fell under the care of the local authority.
KTMB noted that it would work closely with relevant parties and authorities to ensure that maintenance, cleanliness and standards of the station were enhanced to ensure the comfort of users.
Perak Tourism Association president Datuk Mohammad Odzman Abdul Kadir hoped the redevelopment plan at the railway station and its surrounding area could take off in the near future.
Mohammad Odzman said the makeover for the station and the surrounding area was long overdue.
The station, he said, was among iconic buildings in the state that needed to be maintained, adding that Perak folk had been waiting for far too long to see something being done about it.
“Most of us have fond memories of the station. A fine dining restaurant used to be located there in the 1970s.
“The upper floor at the station can be turned into a five-star lounge while the facade of the building must be maintained,” he said.
Mohammad Odzman said there had been talks that a hotel would be built next to the station.
“I really hope there can be a positive development to this plan.”
