SEVERAL companies are in the midst of being appointed by Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp) to begin work on the MRT Circle Line (MRT3) project, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
“The development of the MRT3 project involves five work packages. This involves a project management consultant (PMC), three for civil works (CMC) and one for the system works.
“At present, MRT Corp is in the process of appointing the PMC and the three CMCs,” the Transport Minister said when replying to Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian).
Ahmad had wanted to know the status of several public transport projects such as the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), high-speed rail (HSR), Pan-Borneo Highway and MRT.
As for the system work packages for MRT3, Dr Wee said the tender would be opened soon.
He explained that the MRT3 project would cover a 51km loop with 39km located in Kuala Lumpur and 12km in Selangor.
The 12km route will be underground while the rest will be elevated.
He said the project would also involve the development of two depots and 33 stations, of which 10 are interchange stations that connect the MRT3 to existing KTM, LRT, monorail, MRT Kajang Line and MRT Putrajaya Line stations.
On the MRT2 or MRT Putrajaya Line connecting Sungai Buloh, Serdang and Putrajaya, Dr Wee said that as at June, about 98.4% of the project had been completed.
Phase 2 of the Putrajaya Line, from Kampung Batu to Putrajaya Sentral, is expected to be operational by January.
“Its opening will encourage the use of public transport which will reduce traffic congestion,” he said.
The project would cover 56.4km and 36 stations and four provisional stations, he added.
The minister also said the first phase of the MRT Putrajaya Line involving 17.5km from the stations in Kwasa Damansara and Kampung Batu began operations on June 16.
On the ECRL, Dr Wee said 31.48% of the 665km rail line had been completed as at June.
Once completed, he said the ECRL would help commuters from Kuala Lumpur to Kelantan save four hours in travelling time compared with the seven or eight hours needed currently.
