Sungai Buloh–Kajang MRT line

Sungai Buloh–Kajang Line
9
A Siemens Inspiro EMU stock designed by BMW Group Designworks leaving SBK14 Semantan station.
Overview
Native name	MRT Laluan Sungai Buloh–Kajang
Type	Rapid transit
System	Rapid KL- KVMRT Line 1 (MRT1)
Status	Fully operational
Termini	SBK01  Sungai Buloh  SBK35  Kajang
Stations	31 + 3 reserved stations
Services	Sungai Buloh – Semantan (16 Dec 2016) Muzium Negara – Kajang (17 July 2017)
Daily ridership	400,000 daily (expected)
Line number	9  (green)
Website	myrapid.com.my
Operation
Opened	Phase 1 16 December 2016 (2016-12-16)[1] Sungai Buloh - Semantan Phase 2 17 July 2017 (2017-07-17) Muzium Negara - Kajang
Owner	Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd
Operator(s)	Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd (Prasarana Malaysia Berhad)
Conduction system	Automated and driverless
Depot(s)	Sungai Buloh Depot and Kajang Depot
Rolling stock	Siemens Inspiro 58 four-car trainsets Width: 3.1 m (10 ft) Length: 89.56 m (293.8 ft)
Technical
Line length	51 km (32 mi) Elevated: 41.5 km (25.8 mi) Underground: 9.5 km (5.9 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Third rail, 750 VDC
Route map

Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line
to Putrajaya Sentral  SBK01  Sungai Buloh  2   SBK02  Kampung Selamat  SBK03  RRI (future station) Sungai Buloh Depot  SBK04  Kwasa Damansara  12   SBK05  Kwasa Sentral  SBK05A  Teknologi (future station)  SBK06  Kota Damansara  SBK07  Surian  SBK08  Mutiara Damansara  SBK09  Bandar Utama  11   SBK10  TTDI  SBK11  Phileo Damansara  SBK12  Bukit Kiara (future station)  13   SBK13  Pusat Bandar Damansara  SBK14  Semantan KL Sentral  1   2   5   6   7   8   B2   SBK15  Muzium Negara  B2  Kuala Lumpur  1   2   B2   5   B2   SBK16  Pasar Seni  AG8  SP8  Plaza Rakyat  3   4   SBK17  Merdeka  MR6  AirAsia-Bukit Bintang  8   SBK18A  Pavilion KL-Bukit Bintang  SBK20  Tun Razak Exchange  12   SBK21  Cochrane  SBK22  AEON-Maluri  AG13  Maluri  3   SBK23  Taman Pertama  SBK24  Taman Midah  13   SBK25  Taman Mutiara  SBK26  Taman Connaught  SBK27  Taman Suntex  SBK28  Sri Raya  SBK29  Bandar Tun Hussein Onn  SBK30  Batu 11 Cheras  SBK31  Bukit Dukung Kajang Depot  SBK33  Sungai Jernih  SBK34  Stadium Kajang  SBK35  Kajang  1   14
Interchange stations integrated paid area single fare trip non-integrated paid area multiple fare trips

The MRT Sungai Buloh–Kajang line is the ninth rail transit line and the second fully automated and driverless rail system in the Klang Valley area, Malaysia after the Kelana Jaya Line. It is a part of Greater KL/Klang Valley Integrated Transit System. The line is numbered 9 and coloured green on the official transit map.

It is one of three planned rail lines under Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit Project by MRT Corp. The Phase 1 between Sungai Buloh and Semantan commenced service on 16 December 2016.^[2] Phase 2 between Muzium Negara and Kajang was opened on 17 July 2017, as a free shuttle service, by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak in a ceremony at the Tun Razak Exchange station. Full revenue service between Sungai Buloh and Kajang began the following day.^[3][4][5]

Background

MRT SBK real time passenger information display system (PIDS)

The elevated stations along the entire stretch were retrofitted with platform edge doors (PED) similar to SBK14 Semantan station.

SBK05 Kwasa Damansara station is the one of interchange station between the MRT lines.

SBK05 Kwasa Damansara level & platform signage. Showing Platform 3 & 4 dedicated for Sungai Buloh–Serdang–Putrajaya Line.

The MRT Sungai Buloh–Kajang line is the first of the three planned Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit lines to be constructed, with estimated contract value of MYR36 billion.^[6]

The line starts from Sungai Buloh which is located to the north-west of Kuala Lumpur, runs through the city centre of Kuala Lumpur, and ends in Kajang, a fast developing town located to the south-east of Kuala Lumpur. The line serves a corridor with an estimated population of 1.2 million people.^[6]

Phase One of the MRT Sungai Buloh–Kajang line from Sungai Buloh to Semantan had become operational at the end of 2016 while Phase Two from Semantan to Kajang will become operational by July 2017, allowing trains to serve the entire line.^[6] Part of Phase one, between Sungai Buloh and Semantan, commenced service in December 2016.^[2]

Announced in 2006, the line was initially planned as a LRT at 43 km in length, linking the densely populated areas of Damansara in the northwest and Cheras in the southeast, through the central business district of Kuala Lumpur city.The government then decided to extend the alignment at both ends to Sungai Buloh and Kajang respectively, adding 8 km to the line for a total of 51 km. In addition, the line was changed to an MRT system, with higher capacity trains.^[7]

The line is operated by a subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd, which already runs the Ampang Line, the Kelana Jaya Line and KL Monorail. ^[8]

Line information

Alignment

The first MRT line covers a span of 51 kilometres from Sungai Buloh to the Kajang, passing the Kuala Lumpur city centre where the alignment goes underground. The line will be serving a corridor with 1.2 million residents within the Klang Valley region from north-west to the south-east of Kuala Lumpur. According to MRT Corp, the four-car train sets with the capacity of 1,200 passengers will be in place to serve some 400,000 passengers per day, with a headway of 3.5 minutes.^[9]

Amendments after public display

After the MRT project was formally launched on 8 July 2011, the following amendments have been made to the original proposed alignment following the public display exercise between March and May 2011:^[10]-

• 31 stations instead of 35 stations will be built and provisions have been made for 3 more stations
  • Future station 1 (RRI) located between Kampung Selamat and Kwasa Damansara stations
  • Future station 2 (Teknologi) located between Kwasa Sentral and Kota Damansara stations
  • Future station 3 (Bukit Kiara) located between Phileo Damansara and Pusat Bandar Damansara stations
• The proposed Section 17 was dropped
• The location of the proposed TTDI station was moved around 300m southwards to the former Caltex petrol stations. This was due to complaints from Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Damansara Kim residents.^[11]
• Bukit Bintang East and West stations have been combined into one, moved and integrated with KL Monorail station. The station was named Bukit Bintang Central Station and subsequently Bukit Bintang Station.
• Park and Ride facilities has been increased to 16 from 13 previously.
• Taman Mesra station has been removed.
• Adjustments to the alignment:
  • Shifting alignment into the former Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia land in Sungai Buloh to cater for future development
  • Adjusting the alignment adjacent to Bandar Kajang station to avoid going through the town centre and through Kajang Stadium.

Stations

Sungai Buloh–Kajang line comprises 31 stations, with 7 stations located along a 9.5 kilometre underground railway system.^[9][12][13]

The stations announced by MRT Corp on its official website are listed as below in order. The working names of the stations are also shown in this list.

Rolling stock

The rolling stock is manufactured by Siemens/CSR Nanjing Puzhen in a partnership with SMH Rail Consortium Sdn Bhd. The trains will be driverless with a capacity of 1,200 passengers in a 4-car trainsets formation. The Siemens Inspiro rolling stock will be supplied with the same configuration as the trainsets supplied for Warsaw Metro M1.^[19]

Car length (over coupler): 18.6 m to 20.1 m

Number of passenger doors per car side / door width: 4 / 1400 mm

Traction power supply: 750 VDC, 3rd rail

The 4-car trainsets are maintained at 2 purpose built facilities, Sungai Buloh and Kajang depots, located nearby Kwasa Damansara and Sungai Jernih stations respectively.^[20]

• 
  MRT SBK interior rolling stock designed by BMW Group Designworks
• 
  "MRT operated by Rapid KL" exclusive branding for MRT Sungai Buloh–Kajang line
• 
  MRT SBK train dynamic routemap display

History

Chronology

• August 2006 – The LRT Kota Damansara–Cheras line proposal was first made known public by the then deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, under a RM10 billion government allocation for the improvement and expansion of the public transportation network in Klang Valley. It was then reported that the line would stretch "some 30 km" through Kuala Lumpur.^[21] The combined cost of the new line and the proposed extensions of two existing LRT Kelana Jaya Line and LRT Ampang Line were estimated at RM7 bn back then.^[22]
• July 2007 – The Ministry of Transport had approved the alignment of the new line, which would then be tabled to the Cabinet for approval.^[23] The Government was then saying the line would be completed by 2012.^[24] With an average construction period taking three to four years, work should have started by end-2008 to meet the deadline, although that did not happen.
• June 2008 – It was reported that the line would comprise 30 stations and stretch 40 km in length through the densely populated areas of Damansara and Cheras, as well as the central business district of Kuala Lumpur city. Cost estimates for the line were then reported at RM4-5 billion, with the majority of the stations elevated.^[25]
• September 2008 – It was reported that a distance of 5.9 km stretching from Brickfields to Bukit Bintang will be underground, although the number of such underground stations was not announced. It was during this time that the line was said to be 42 km with 32 stations in total, and is being considered for as a mass rapid transit (MRT) system, taking into consideration the suitability of this system based on a population catchment area 878,000.^[26] It was also reported that the detailed design stage for the line would commence in 2Q2009.
• December 2008 – The Edge Daily reported that the line was set for completion in 2014. The Transport minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, declined comment when probed for further details on the cost and timeline.
• May 2009 – The Edge Daily reported that the government would be calling for tenders for the LRT Kelana Jaya Line and LRT Ampang Line extension projects but there was no indication on the implementation of the new Kota Damansara-Cheras Line.^[27]
• September 2009 – Prasarana group managing director Datuk Idrose Mohamed said that the new line could end up longer than the earlier announced Kota Damansara alignment, although he did not offer any further details.^[28] It is believed that the line terminus could stretch out further north from Kota Damansara to Sungai Buloh.
• April 2010 – The Edge Daily reported that a proposal to extend the line by 16 km is being studied by the government. The proposal calls for the line to be extended from Kota Damansara to Sungai Buloh (additional 3 km) and from Cheras to Kajang (additional 9 km). An additional line from Damansara Utama to Kelana Jaya (additional 4 km) is also being studied. This will bring the total length of the line to 59 km.^[29]
• June 2010 – During the tabling of the 10th Malaysia Plan, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced that the government is now considering a RM36 billion Klang Valley MRT proposal from Gamuda Berhad and MMC Corporation Berhad. Although the specific details of the alignment have not been revealed, it is reported to consist of 3 lines, one of which has the same general alignment as that of the Kota Damansara–Cheras line. It is not known if this new MRT plan will replace, or be in addition to the original Kota Damansara–Cheras line proposal. While the MRT plan is generally welcomed, observers of public transportation development and the public have become increasingly frustrated and disillusioned with the lack of any real progress in the development of the Klang Valley mass rail system, resulting from the incessant announcements by the government but without any work done.^{[30][31][32][33]}
• December 2010 – Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced that the MRT Project had been approved by the cabinet and the construction of the first line from Sungai Buloh to Kajang would begin in July 2011.^[34] The government had appointed MMC-Gamuda JV Sdn Bhd as Project Delivery Partner where it would play the role project manager. The whole project would be divided into nine parcels in which will be done on open tender basis. 10 km of the line would be underground and 50 km above ground. MMC-Gamuda would be barred from bidding for any tender except for the tunnelling works (the most expensive portion). The project would introduce 60 km of rail tracks plus 35 new stations.^[35]
• 14 February 2011 – SPAD began a 3-month mandatory public display of the alignment at participating municipals and the operator's Prasarana headquarters to obtain objections, complaints and suggestions from the public.
• 8 July 2011 – Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak officially launched the project in a ceremony. The alignment was adjusted following the public display with the final alignment having a length of 51 km with 31 stations and 16 Park and Ride facilities.^[36]
• 17 August 2011 – The government announced that a new company under the Finance Ministry had been formed to take control of the project from Prasarana. The new company, MRT Corp, would be the asset owner of the project. The company would officially take over from Pasarana on 1 September 2011. Motivation for creating this company was to ensure timely execution and focused vision on the project.^[37]
• 21 October 2011 – MRT Corp shortlisted 5 companies to carry out underground works. They were MMC Gamuda Joint Venture, Sinohydro Group, Hyundai-Gadang-Chengal Jaya Joint Venture, Taisei Corp, and the China Railway Group Ltd.^[38]
• 1 November 2011 – Bus Stand Klang ceased operations and would be demolished to make way for new underground MRT station.^[39]
• 26 January 2012 - MRT Corp announced the award of the first two civil works contracts for the construction of the MRT Sungai Buloh–Kajang line. IJM Construction Sdn Bhd was appointed the contractor for Package V5 (stretching from the start of the southern elevated section at Cheras 3rd Mile to Plaza Phoenix) at a tender price of RM974 million, while Ahmad Zaki Sdn Bhd was appointed the contractor for Package V6 (stretching from Plaza Phoenix to Bandar Tun Hussein Onn in Cheras) at a tender price of RM764 million.
• 8 March 2012 - MRT Corp announced the pre-qualification of 28 companies to bid for six System Works Packages for the MRT Sungai BUloh–Kajang line. Subsequently, in August 2012, another 31 companies were pre-qualified to bid for the remaining five System Works Packages.
• 20 March 2012 - MRT Corp announced the appointment of MMC Gamuda as the Underground Works Contractor for the MRT Sungai Buloh–Kajang line. The scope of work for the contract included, amongst others, the construction of seven underground stations and the tunnels for the 9.5 km underground alignment of the line. The contract was valued at RM8.2 billion.
• 1 August 2012 – MRT Corp announced that the project was now in active construction phase.^[40]
• December 2012 – MRT Corp announced that the project cost would not exceed the limit of RM 23 billion, adding that its first MRT line is expected for completion by July 2017.^[41] Meanwhile, Prime Minister Najib Razak revealed that the first phase construction of MRT project can be wrapped up by the end of 2016.^[42]
• 30 May 2013 – Tunnel excavation works for the MRT Sungai Buloh–Kajang line began with the world's first Variable Density Tunnel Boring Machine. Commencement of tunnelling works was launched by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at the Cochrane Launch Shaft.^[43] Subsequently, another seven tunnel boring machines were launched to construct the tunnels for the line.
• 29 June 2014 - The first two train car bodies arrived in Westport, Port Klang, Selangor.^[44] The train will be assembled in the country’s first train assembly plant in Rasa, Hulu Selangor. The purpose built plant for the KVMRT project is solely owned and operated by SMH Rail Sdn Bhd. SMH Rail had a consortium partnership with Siemens AG and Siemens Malaysia. Work to assemble the trains began immediately after the first two train car bodies arrived in Westport. The time taken to assemble one train set is about 30 days. The plant has two assembly lines, allowing work on four trains sets to be carried out at the same time.
• 30 November 2014 - Another 14 train car bodies had arrived.
• 2 September 2016 - Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak got his first MRT train ride from Semantan station to Phileo Damansara station, and back to Semantan station after taking a look around Phileo Damansara station.
• 16 December 2016 - Phase 1 (Sungai Buloh - Semantan) becomes operational.
• 18 December 2016 - MRT Corp confirms cost of 51 km of SBK line is RM21 billion. .^[45]
• 17 July 2017 - The second phase of the MRT line connecting Sungai Buloh and Kajang begins operation.^[46]

See also

• Prasarana Malaysia Berhad
  • Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd
    • Rapid KL
    • Rapid Penang
    • Rapid Kuantan
    • Rapid Kamunting
    • Rapid Manjung
    • Rapid SP
  • Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd
    • Rapid KL
  • Rapid Ferry Sdn Bhd
    • Rapid Penang - Penang Ferry Services
• MRT Corp
  • Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit Project
• MyHSR Corp
  • Kuala Lumpur–Singapore High Speed Rail Project
• Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD)
• Public transport in Kuala Lumpur
• Rail transport in Malaysia

References

External links

• Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp)
• Prasarana Malaysia Berhad
• Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (SPAD)
• MRT tunneling works by MMC-Gamuda
• Route Map