SG BULOH – The construction of the Mass Rapid Transit Line 3 (MRT3) project, which was suspended by the previous government, will begin in the second half of the year.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said the ministry has given MRT Corp three months to update the studies previously conducted on the implementation of the project, to be presented to the cabinet.
“At a recent cabinet meeting, the government agreed to go ahead with the MRT3 Circle Line, and MRT Corp was given three months to update the studies, including on the cost of the project,” he told reporters here today, after inspecting the operational availability of the first phase of the Putrajaya MRT line from the Sri Damansara Sentral station to the Kg Batu station in Kuala Lumpur.
Present were Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Abd Rahim Bakri and Transport Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Isham Ishak.
Wee said the project’s cost will be decided based on the studies conducted by MRT Corp.
In 2018, then transport minister Anthony Loke said the implementation of MRT3 would be postponed so as to reduce government debt.
On the Putrajaya MRT line, Wee said it has reached 97% construction progress and is expected to begin operations in August.
The remaining 3% of the 17.5km line involves the testing and commissioning of mechanical and electrical systems, as well as trial operations.
Wee said the second phase, from Kg Batu to Putrajaya, has recorded 87% progress and is scheduled to start operations in January 2023.
The total construction cost of the Putrajaya line is RM30.53 billion. – Bernama, April 3, 2021
