From The Star 18.04.2005

long awaited
http://img90.echo.cx/img90/4528/p41800017ih.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

What is that tall building near Sentral?
http://img197.echo.cx/img197/2324/p41800020xn.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

Thanks Choon for the wonderful pictures! :okay:

Yea.....I am very excited after reading the article! :banana: FINALLY KL is gonna have paid-to-paid connection! :master:

Putting commuters on a right track



By BAVANI M
Photos by LOW LAY PHON





STEEL frames rising from streets around Kuala Lumpur are ugly sights. But, when the constructions are complete, they provide pedestrians with shelter, comfort, safety and convenience.

The frames are for covered pedestrian walkways and elevated bridges that will connect Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Monorail stations to major shopping complexes and offices in the city centre.




http://metro.thestar.com.my/news/2005/4/m_pg02nanas.jpg

Work has begun on a covered walkway at the Bukit Nanas Monorail station.






The move to build the walkways and bridges are so that people will walk more and drive less. It is part of a bigger plan to provide better integration, connectivity and an efficient public transport system in the Klang Valley.

Thus far, works on three linkages - the Titiwangsa Monorail Station and Titiwangsa Star-LRT station at Jalan Tun Razak, the Hang Tuah Monorail station and Hang Tuah Star-LRT station at Jalan Hang Tuah and the Bukit Nanas Monorail and Dang Wangi Putra-LRT stations at the intersection of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Ampang - are in progress. These will be completed by the end of the year.

Costing RM6mil, the project is a joint-venture between the Transport Ministry and KL Monorail Systems Sdn Bhd.

“We may not be as advance as Singapore and London, but we are getting there,'' said KL Monorail managing director Bakhtiar Jamilee. “It's just a matter of time before we do,'' he said.

Efficient integration was not just about linking one station to another, but providing a value-added service to the public, said Bakhtiar.

“It is more than a convenience,'' he said. “Better connectivity is when commuters do not have to endure rain or sun to get to their next stations and when more people will want to use the trains rather than drive.''




http://metro.thestar.com.my/news/2005/4/m_pg03bakhtiar.jpg

Bakhtiar...'it is more than a convenience'






Bakhtiar said this would lessen congestion in the city, but that to make it work, everyone should work together towards it. “We are not in control of a lot of things,'' he said.

“A better system would be when commuters do not have to buy separate tickets every time they change stations and when feeder buses are on time,'' he said.

Bakhtiar said commuters, too, had a role to play. They should not contribute to a train's delay by rushing in before other commuters had alighted, he said.

“If there is a few seconds delay at every station, collectively it’s a lot of time wasted.''

Apart from the three linkages, there are plans to connect KL Sentral Monorail station directly to KL Sentral. When this happens, commuters need not cross the roads to get to KL Sentral, but use a covered bridge to get to take the LRT or KTM.

“We are here to complement the LRT system, not compete,'' said Bakhtiar. “That's the only way to achieve a successful integration in the city.''

WOW! New 45 storey at KL Sentral! Design is a bit awful though.

AND wow to covered walkway from Nanas to Dang Wangi! ( though scary at night jalan..kana mug no one see)

^^^ I think it is the proposed 3 or 4 star hotel which is next to the mall ;)

I remember reading it somewhere :D

wah!Finally!Thanks for the updates guys:D the hotel somehow looks like a building thats on hold:P keep me up to date on the project ya!

eh btw, how will they cover it ah? The project costs only rm6million. I guess...normal roofing only lah. I hope it blends well with the street scene :)

Will the paid-to-paid system be applied to all the linkages - or only for Hang Tuah?

Will the paid-to-paid system be applied to all the linkages - or only for Hang Tuah?


Hang Tuah and Titiwangsa links would have the paid-to-paid links according to the news report ;)

The Titiwangsa link is elevated and it links the passenger platform of the Monorail station with Starline station. :) There is already a non-paid link available at the at-grade level currently.

Other like the Dang Wangi - Bukit Nenas interchange would be a bit complicated as it is quite far from each other. Seriously lah....they should invest some money and make a tunnel connection instead. I think all links should be properly connected and not just using those walkway with zinc roofing :ohno:

great news!! especially for the dang wangi and bukit nanas station which is far away from each other

Just passed the Hang Tuah Interchange two days in a row and I saw that they are finally doing the paid-to-paid connection from the monorail platform to Starline platform. And they are also upgrading the existing covered corridor from Starline station entrance to the Monorail entrance. :okay:

Wah.....that means all the corridors and bridges they are constructing are not cheapos! :banana:

^ can the rain still enter the platform or it is really fully covered(aircon lor :D)?

What do you mean by paid to paid connection ?

What do you mean by paid to paid connection ?

I think it means transferring between connecting platforms without the need of repurchasing tickets and reentering through ticket gates/ stations all over again.;) Somewhat a direct (physical) link between platforms/ mezzanine levels like most rail interchanges in Singapore, London and elsewhere.

Think it was labeled like that just to simplify matters. The term “paid area” is usually applied for the area after the ticket gates. Oh well… very interesting development for urban rail travel in KL. :) They should work on Masjid Jamek after this.

^ can the rain still enter the platform or it is really fully covered(aircon lor :D)?


They are only building the corridors and bridges only lah.....not upgrading platforms lah. SOmemore you want elevated and at-grade stations to have aircond ah? Singapore so rich pun tada :D

I think it means transferring between connecting platforms without the need of repurchasing tickets and reentering through ticket gates/ stations all over again.;) Somewhat a direct (physical) link between platforms/ mezzanine levels like most rail interchanges in Singapore, London and elsewhere.

Think it was labeled like that just to simplify matters. The term “paid area” is usually applied for the area after the ticket gates. Oh well… very interesting development for urban rail travel in KL. :) They should work on Masjid Jamek after this.


Thanks for the explanation Argory! :okay: ....was about to reply to him hehehehe :D

ANyway to simplify for him.....let say.....next time you could just buy a ticket from BB Monorail station to Starline's Ampang station and when you change from monorail to Starline......you just need to exit the monorail at Hang Tuah and the monorail platform are directly connected to Starline's Hang Tuah station's platform. Just board the next LRT without having to exit the ticketing gates and reentered back. ;)

Similar to Singapore's Outram Park where you get out of SBS' North East Line and it is platform connected to SMRT's platform. You dun feel like you're entering one system and exit another :D

Think it was labeled like that just to simplify matters. The term “paid area” is usually applied for the area after the ticket gates. Oh well… very interesting development for urban rail travel in KL. :) They should work on Masjid Jamek after this.


Well.....yea......Masjid Jamek is a critical intersection. But integration work is a bit tricky for that interchange as one station is elevated and one station is underground. There would be a big mess :D

They should also integrate KTM Komuter into the whole system. Remove the glass panel (not sure whether it is still there or not) between LRT and Komuter entrance gate in KL Sentral so that commuters could just simply transfer from one to another without having to go through those gates.

The same to be done at the other interchange station (can't remember the name now).

That's great news for passengers. But what happened to the plan to have a common touch-and-go card for all modes of public transportation? Wasn't that on the cards? :)

Anyway, been seeing advertisements on the Cendana Condo/Service Residences in the S'pore newspapers. If I'm not wrong, it's gonna be another 40+ storey steel and glass structure by Tan & Tan next to the Renaissance Hotel :)

yep. it's 45 storeys! here's the thread ;)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=167856

So far , all modes are with the touch n go system except for KTM komuter i think

yep. it's 45 storeys! here's the thread ;)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=167856

So far , all modes are with the touch n go system except for KTM komuter i think

Tks for the link Baq!

That's great news for passengers. But what happened to the plan to have a common touch-and-go card for all modes of public transportation? Wasn't that on the cards? :)



Yes....the govt started the integration a year and a half ago but things din work out thanks to the stand-off between some operators and Rangkaian Segar (TnG) over the issue of economics :(

Fortunately Starline, Putraline and all toll-consessionaires are all TnG enabled. :okay:

So far , all modes are with the touch n go system except for KTM komuter i think


Nope.....Monorail and ERL is still without TnG.

KTM Komuter would be using TnG this July.

Apparently KL Infrastructure Group (KL Monorail) and ERL (YTL) isn't bulging to Rangkaian Segar's (TnG) request :(

Here's an interesting article I posted on the 'Integrated Ticketing Thread' in the 'Urban' subforum ;)







One-card system for public transport stalled

BY LEONG SHEN-LI


PETALING JAYA: The Government spent RM10mil to set up electronic fare-card readers at KTM Komuter, monorail and Express Rail Link stations to allow commuters to use Touch 'n Go fare-cards on all systems. This was to make public transport in the Klang Valley more efficient.

But one-and-a-half years later, the fare-card readers remain idle because the rail operators and Rangkaian Segar Sdn Bhd, which runs the Touch 'n Go system, are still wrangling over the commission rate.

Sources said Rangkaian Segar wants 2.5%, while the rail operators were prepared to pay less than 2%.

This disagreement, they added, had resulted in the operators holding back implementation of the system.

“The system is ready. All that is needed is for the operators to agree and the cards can be accepted immediately,” the sources said.

However, there are indications that KTM Komuter is likely to adopt the system in July although KTM Bhd is still unhappy with the commission issue and will continue to push for a lower rate.

Under the common ticketing system, all public transport systems in the Klang Valley are to accept Touch 'n Go cards, allowing commuters to hop from one system to another without needing to buy new tickets.

Currently, KTM Komuter, KL Monorail, KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit, which carry a total of about 150,000 passengers a day, do not accept the cards, but the two light rail transit systems – Putraline and Starline – do.

Public transport operators have been reluctant to accept Rangkaian Segar's rate, saying the high commission will eat into their already narrow profit margins.

Rangkaian Segar, they argue, should recognise that public transport operators are not profit-oriented, unlike operators of privatised expressways, and should adjust the commission rate accordingly.

“However, Rangkaian Segar looks unlikely to budge on this matter,” a source said.

According to the sources, the operators have also appealed to the Government to step in but it has been reluctant to intervene directly because commissions are deemed “a commercial matter”.

Nevertheless, the Transport Ministry has organised several meetings between the different parties since the issue surfaced.

The sources said a breakthrough with KTM was finally reached last week.

But KTM was still unhappy with the commission issue and would continue to push for it to be reduced, they said.

Similar breakthroughs were not expected in negotiations with KL Infrastructure Group Bhd, the monorail's operator, and Express Rail Link, which operates the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit.

“The two seem adamant about standing firm,” said a source.

When contacted, KTM Bhd managing director Datuk Mohd Salleh Abdullah declined to comment on the commission issue, but confirmed that KTM was looking at implementing the Touch 'n Go system in July.

Actually Rangkaian Segar shouldnt do that....I mean you are the only player in the field since government said that only TnG can be used as the main payment for touchless system. It is a bit unfair..:rant:

Actually Rangkaian Segar shouldnt do that....I mean you are the only player in the field since government said that only TnG can be used as the main payment for touchless system. It is a bit unfair..:rant:


Yea.......from my own point of view....I also had the opinion that Rangkaian Segar should yield to the operator's demand simply because they are the monopoly. I also think that the operators' demand are fair as they all agreed on the same rate.

I think that if this continues on......the TnG system should revert back to govt control. Imagine......we had TnG with our contactless card system .....the first in this region somemore and we are now far behind HK and Singapore. :ohno:

Well.....yea......Masjid Jamek is a critical intersection. But integration work is a bit tricky for that interchange as one station is elevated and one station is underground. There would be a big mess :D


Sometimes I wonder if it was prioritized that at least city centre tracks run underground, the integration problem would have been less difficult… It would have been great if Star ran underground from Hang Tuah onwards. Too late already.:(

Integrating Masjid Jamek efficiently may be somewhat an engineering feat by itself and a costly one at that. ;) But with current lightweight construction methods/ materials, it’s quite possible I think. We definitely need a paid-to-paid connection at Masjid Jamek, the meeting point of 2 busy metro lines (with 3 routes actually). :)

Here are some photos I took in Feb for an assignment.

The Hang Tuah Monorail-LRT interchange.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/argory/Rail%20Transit/Picture_0626-edit.jpg

Starline’s Hang Tuah station.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/argory/Rail%20Transit/Picture_0628-edit.jpg

KL Monorail’s Hang Tuah station.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/argory/Rail%20Transit/Picture_0621-edit.jpg

Bukit Nanas Monorail station.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/argory/Rail%20Transit/Picture_0614-edit.jpg

Entrance of Dang Wangi underground LRT station.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/argory/Rail%20Transit/Picture_0613-edit.jpg

Dang Wangi is amazingly large.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/argory/Rail%20Transit/Picture_0608-edit.jpg

Thanks for the pics argory..how's the progress of the links between lrt and monorail stations?

In progress. I didn't see any delay for the time being...guess it will complete in time :D

PICS!!! PICS!!!!

PICS!!! PICS!!!!

LOL! I am going to KL this Thursday. See if I will have a chance to take some photos for you or not, kekeke :D:D

PS: Sorry Sze, my brother's face got some kind of skin irritation problem, so we had to postpone a bit lah... I will buy you something to eat when I come, promise :D

Completed already mah. But as usual, I dont see anyone use the overhead bridge...they just cross the road like nobody business.

Completed already mah. But as usual, I dont see anyone use the overhead bridge...they just cross the road like nobody business.

I think there was a zebra crossing that I used.

Anyways, So thats what they were building.

I was at the Dang Wangi, Bukit Nenas stations, actually transfering from Putra to Monorail in july, there were concrete barriers and corrugated sheeting to cover some sort of construction.

Lo and behold, its a covered walk way. It would have been useful back then... Since I remembered getting wet because of the rain.

Commuters To Enjoy Better Integration At Monorail And Rapid KL



KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- KL Monorail and Rapid KL transport commuters can now enjoy interchanging facilities with the completion of three covered and elevated walkways.

The RM6 million walkways, which include escalators and pedestrian crossings, were opened 18 days ahead of schedule Thursday by Deputy Transport Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Azlan Ibni Sultan Abu Bakar.

The three walkways connect KL Monorail's Titiwangsa Station and Rapid KL's Titiwangsa Station, KL Monorail's Bukit Nanas Station and Rapid KL's Dang Wangi Station and KL Monorail's Hang Tuah Station and Rapid KL's Hang Tuah Station.

Speaking to reporters later Tengku Azlan said the building of the three walkways were fully financed by the Transport Ministry.

KL Monorail System Sdn Bhd took a year to build the linkages which were completed on Dec 8 this year.

^^ cool!! no need to walk under the sun anymore:D

PICS!

By Dalila Abu Bakar
bt@nstp.com.my

April 15 2006

KL INFRASTRUCTURE Group Bhd (KL Infra), together with its sister firm MTrans Technology Bhd, has submitted a RM4.5 billion plan to the Government to extend the current rail transit system in the Klang Valley.

KL Infra chairman Datuk Ahmad Sa'adi said the proposal involves four additional lines covering 71km and using 62 four-car monorail trains. The extension will be carried out over six years.

The current 65km system - incorporating the Ampang Line, Sri Petaling Line (both formerly known as STARline), Kelana Jaya Line (formerly PUTRAline) and KL Monorail - cost some RM9 billion to set up.

Ahmad said the additional transit lines will facilitate unhindered and congestion-free travelling in the Klang Valley.

It will complement the existing rail transit routes, ensure that growing travel needs are met and reduce the problems of mobility, congestion and parking.

"We believe these lines can be completed in six years. If the decision can be made soon, then the public can enjoy the benefits and this new mobility by 2012 once the four lines are completed," Ahmad said in an interview with the New Straits Times and Bernama on Thursday.

He said a conceptual proposal was submitted to the Government about two months ago.

"We have been transit system advisers in Korea and the Middle East. In line with the Government's desire for a more integrated and improved public transportation system for the Klang Valley, we would like to contribute our ideas and expertise," Ahmad said.

The Government had announced that the RM4.4 billion yearly savings on the petrol subsidy would be used to improve public transportation.

The company's KL Monorail system, which has been running on a 9km line for two-and-a-half years, has carried more than 33 million passengers.

KL Monorail's average daily ridership rose 42 per cent to 33,837 in 2004 from that in 2003. It increased 31 per cent to 44,442 last year, and 12.5 per cent to 50,000 as at last month.

"It is proven that people accept the monorail. We are happy it is a success. That's why we are contributing our expertise and ideas to help improve the transport system in the Klang Valley," Ahmad said.

The four additional lines are expected to ferry some 400,000 passengers per day and to complement the existing lines by increasing a projected 320,000 passengers per day through interfaces at respective stations.

Ahmad said a ridership of 720,000 passengers per day can be generated by implementing the four lines, bringing the total ridership for all transit systems to one million passengers per day.

This would help increase the share of public transport to 25 per cent from 16 per cent currently.

With the likely increase in feeder buses, the proposal is expected to realise the 30 per cent target outlined in the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Saturday/Frontpage/BT562580.txt/Article/Current_News/BT/Images/dailyn/rail.jpg

Wow, this is great news... At least the most congested missing-link areas such as PJ, Puchong, and Subang are finally getting the rail networks they deserve!

i hope this is not only just building the infra as other past project.i hope there has been a proper masterplan and studying for better efficiency not just numbers.

great news! hopefully it gets approved soon :happy:

RM10b to expand Klang Valley’s light rail system
16 Apr 2006
By Minderjeet Kaur


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will spend RM10 billion to improve the light rail system network in the Klang Valley over the next five years.

The job has been given to state-owned Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, which will start by identifying routes in densely-populated areas.

The biggest chunk, RM4.5 billion, will go towards building a 30km line running through these areas.

Shaipudin Shah Harun, the CEO of the company, said: "We are looking at densely-populated areas, including Puchong, Kepong and Cheras."

Money will also be spent to buy hundreds of light rail coaches.

Shaipudin said the new line would connect residential areas with commercial districts.

"This is one way of encouraging people to leave their cars at home and use public transport, especially to and from their workplace."

Shaipudin said the company will hire a consultant to conduct a feasibility study.

It will also spend another RM2 billion to extend the existing Putra line to Subang Jaya and the Star line to the Old Klang Road.

"To attract more train users, the existing rail services will be extended by 10 to 15km," he said.

An additional RM2 billion will go towards purchasing more light rail coaches to accommodate the increasing demand along the Putra LRT routes.

Currently, 190,000 people take the Putra LRT daily, exceeding its capacity by 40 per cent.

According to the company, 180,000 people commute by bus, and another 120,000 by Star LRT, which is under-utilised by 66 per cent.

Company statistics show that about 1.5 million people still choose to drive to the city centre daily.

Shaipudin said part of the RM10 billion would come under a Ninth Malaysia Plan allocation while the rest would be raised from the capital market.

Under the 9MP, the Government has allocated 15.9 per cent or RM30 billion of the budget to upgrade ports, airports and the public transport system.

"The allocation is adequate to upgrade the public transport system and furthermore, through the capital market, we will raise money for the company."

The state-owned company, which has been given the job of streamlining the public transport infrastructure, owns both Kuala Lumpur’s light rail transit companies and buses under the name RapidKL.

I have no idea how they look like!!! Pics!

KLIG proposes four new lines for monorail system


By LEONG SHEN-LI
Saturday April 15, 2006


KUALA LUMPUR: KL Infrastructure Group Bhd, the company which operates the monorail here, has submitted a proposal to construct four new lines in the Klang Valley with a total length of 71km.

KLIG chairman Datuk Ahmad Sa’adi said the project was estimated to cost RM4.5bil and would take six years to complete.

“We presented this proposal to the Government two months ago,” he said yesterday.

Ahmad said the four new lines were the 21km Petaling Jaya line, 18km Subang Jaya line, 19km Sungai Buloh line and 13km Cheras line. The four lines will have 47 stations.

The Sungai Buloh line will directly link up with the existing KL Monorail system at the Titiwangsa station while the Subang Jaya line will link up with the existing system at the Tun Sambanthan station in Brickfields.

All four lines will integrate with the existing light rail transit (LRT) and the KTM Komuter rail systems.

“We expect the new lines to ferry some 400,000 passengers per day,” he said.

He added that when the entire network was completed, the existing lines would also experience an increase in usage because more people would find it convenient to use public transport.

“We should see another 320,000 passengers using the entire rail system daily on top of the current 340,000 passengers,'' he said.

He said this would help the Government achieve the Ninth Malaysia Plan target of a 30:70 public to private transport ratio for the Klang Valley.

Ahmad said under the proposal, MTrans Holdings Sdn Bhd, the holding company of KLIG, would manufacture 62 new monorail trains for the new lines.

“The new trains will have four cars each and carry at least 400 people,” he said.

Really good news, but hope it's implemented soon and not just stay as a proposal. :)

I think the alignment is quite good actually. It seems to form the framework for an eventual circle line which will be very good for the Klang valley.

However, I’m a bit worried if they’re proposing a completely new monorail system instead of just extending the existing one. That’s because the map seems to say “integration station” at Tun Sambanthan and KL Monorail. :?

I think the monorail proposal will not take off as RapidKL has been given the $10b project. Both of them are extending to puchong, subang jaya and kepong.

From The Star:

http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2006/4/15/nation/n_10monorail.jpg

omg! Aren't we lucky!!? :eek: Just wondering isn't OUG on a hill? Sure got rollercoaster effect hehehehe

No more monorail lah. RapidKL got the $10b contract.

omg! Aren't we lucky!!? :eek: Just wondering isn't OUG on a hill? Sure got rollercoaster effect hehehehe



Only parts of OUG lah. From the graphics, I could picture that the proposed alignment could either be along the river or along Old Klang Road. The Old Klang Road part of OUG (where Pearl Point is) is flat ;)

No more monorail lah. RapidKL got the $10b contract.

:cool: Better stations then!

Only parts of OUG lah. From the graphics, I could picture that the proposed alignment could either be along the river or along Old Klang Road. The Old Klang Road part of OUG (where Pearl Point is) is flat ;)

Are they many residents there? I mean the area is patchy..got people there, not here, and so on :?

That area is full of residentials and commercial units. I think it is a good choice of location :okay: Mana ada patchy pachy? :? ......you need another grand tour of KL residentials lah :D

When I went there it's all like furniture shops only :S

When I went there it's all like furniture shops only :S

:? :? :? ...There are a few but a lot of other stuffs also lah....... ;)

New integrated.Dang Wangi - Bukit Nanas

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/7812/45435bd.jpg

i am very greatful that they built this link but from day 1 they never clean it!what a shame so much money spent and they cant even keep it clean!the escelators dont work!dbkl is thinking emm not my project so surely it will clean itself ha!

i am very greatful that they built this link but from day 1 they never clean it!what a shame so much money spent and they cant even keep it clean!the escelators dont work!dbkl is thinking emm not my project so surely it will clean itself ha!

I agree with you. Most of the other LRT stations share the same fate. Talk bout first world infrastructure and third world mentality. Why can't we emulate Singapore? *sensitive? It's a fact!