Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Relations director Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah said construction works on the Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) Line will begin aggressively following the ground-breaking ceremony. Sam Tham/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The ground breaking of the RM32bil mass rapid transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) line today marks another milestone for Greater Kuala Lumpur to achieve 40% of public transport model share within the next 15 years.
As at the end of last year, the city’s public transport model share stood at 25%.
The SSP line is the second of three MRT lines planned to promote the use of greener public transport systems for the capital.
The first MRT line, the Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK), which is being built at a cost of RM23bil, is now 89% completed.
“SSP line will have greater daily ridership of 530,000 people, while SBK line will see daily ridership of 440,000 people,” MRT Corp director of strategic communications and stakeholder relations Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah told a briefing.
Najmuddin said the tender process of the SSP line was still ongoing, with 23 work packages already awarded to date.
The total length of the SSP line will be 52.2km, with 13.5km underground portion. The line will have a total of 24 stations, of which 11 stations will be underground.
“The development of this SSP line is very crucial to the sustainable growth of Kuala Lumpur. All three MRT lines will be the main arteries or backbones of the city’s public transport system, which also includes light rail transit, monorail and KTM Komuter.
“The SSP line will provide accessibility and ridership primarily to job catchment areas, commercial, residential, education and recreational,” he said.
Updating reporters on the development of the SBK line, Najmuddin said the metro is on track to start its first phase of operation in December.
“The entire line will be ready for the public by July next year. So far, we have kept the development cost within the budgeted estimation.”
Both the SBK and SSP lines will be supported by 58 train sets for each line.
On the circle line, Najmuddin said the development timeline would be more definite once the engineering feasibility study is completed. “Based on our experience, the circle line is expected to be mostly underground,” he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will be officiating at the ground breaking ceremony of the SSP line today, which will mark the commencement of the construction of the second MRT line in the country.
