Kuala Lumpur’s plans for an extensive metro rail network-
Kuala Lumpur’s mass rapid transit (MRT) line is nearing completion and is set to begin operations in December 2016. The MRT project, also known as the Klang Valley MRT project, was launched in 2001 as a crucial component of the Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley National Key Economic Area and is the largest infrastructure project in the country. It is expected to increase the modal share of public transport in the region to 40 per cent by 2020, up from the current 17 per cent.
Developing 100 km of metro rail
The upcoming MRT system comprises three lines, which will together span 103.2 km and cover 68 stations. Of this, the underground part will have a length of 23 km and cover 18 stations. The investment requirement is estimated to be MYR 51 billion. Table 1 provides details of the upcoming lines.
MMC Gamuda KVMRT (T) Sdn Bhd secured the MYR 8.2 billion tunnelling contract for MRT-1 following the Swiss Challenge method of procurement. The company is also the main contractor for the MRT-2 project.
MRT-1 is 78 per cent complete and all civil works contracts have been awarded. Service on MRT-1 will be from 6 a.m. until midnight. The average travel time from Sungai Buloh or Kajang to Kuala Lumpur Sentral is expected to be 30 minutes.
The award of construction contracts for MRT-2 began in 2016. (The key contract awards are listed in Table 2). Construction is yet to begin.
MASS Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) has an estimated average daily ridership of around 400,000 passengers on MRT-1 and around 529,000 passengers on MRT-2.
Driverless trains and CBTC technology
In September 2012, a consortium of Siemens Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Siemens AG and Malaysia-based SMH Rail Sdn Bhd secured a Euro 450 million contract to supply 58 driverless Inspiro metro trains for MRT-1 and equipment for two new MRT depots. The first full-size model of the train was delivered by Siemens in March 2014; until November 2015, 19 trains had been delivered.
Trains will be able to operate at maximum speed of 100 km per hour and average speed of 70 km per hour. Service frequency will be 3.5 minutes in peak hours (17 trains per hour). Each car will have a capacity for 300 passengers and each train comprising four cars will have a capacity of 1,200 passengers.
Bombardier (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd secured the Euro 71 million contract for engineering, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of Cityflo 650 communications-based train control (CBTC) solution for driverless operation on MRT-1 in September 2012.
In May 2016, the key contracts for MRT-2 were awarded. HAP consortium of South Korea-based Hyundai Rotem, POSCO Engineering and Apex Communications secured the MYR 1.6 billion contract to supply of 58 four-car driverless electric train sets and depot equipment. A consortium of Bombardier and Global Rail secured the MYR 458 million contract to supply signalling and train control systems.
Integrated fare system 
France-based Affiliated Computer Services Solutions France SAS secured the MYR 120 million contract for engineering, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of the automatic fare collection (AFC) system fo MRT-1 in March 2013. Bidding for the supply of the AFC system for MRT-2 is currently under way.
By 2017, the AFC system is planned to be integrated with the light-rail transit (LRT) and monorail systems under a $20 million contract awarded to Australian company Vix Technology in August 2015. The scope of work includes design, installation, operations and maintenance of a unified multimodal ticketing system for Greater Kuala Lumpur. The system will allow payments through contactless smartcards, bank cards (debit and credit cards) and near field communication-enabled mobile phones.
Conclusion
Currently, the city’s rail-based transit system comprises two LRT lines, one monorail line, commuter rail KTM Komuter and an airport rail link. The upcoming MRT system is planned to be integrated with the existing rail and bus systems. Once complete, the Kuala Lumpur MRT project is expected to fill the missing link in the city’s public transport system.
