KUALA LUMPUR – Despite the closure between the Masjid Jamek and Bandaraya LRT stations, commuters said that their travels during the morning rush hour remained relevantly seamless.
Early in the morning today, The Vibes spoke to a number of rush-hour commuters patronising the complimentary shuttle services at the Hang Tuah, Bandaraya, and Masjid Jamek LRT stations, all of whom were content with their smooth trips and helpful service by staff members despite the disruption.
One such commuter, Katherine Chu, applauded how the staff were quick to assist commuters who might be confused by the new procedures.
“My trip from Sentul was smooth. All the staff members guided me on where to go to get to my destination,” she told The Vibes.
Similarly, another commuter, John Michael, said his morning trip was quick and trouble-free.
He added that the shuttle buses were already on standby upon his arrival at the Bandaraya station.
“The moment I arrived at my station, the bus was already there for me,” he said.
“That said, the stations are slowly getting overcrowded, following a surge in commuters during the rush hour,” he added.
At about 8am, the crowd was consistently controlled and fast flowing despite the increasing number of people. The frequent and timely bus arrivals prevented massive footfall.
However, as time is of the essence for working individuals, both pedestrians and motorists alike were beating red traffic lights near the stations to get to their destinations or to catch the next bus.
With the addition of large vehicles in an already traffic-prone area, motorists who travel through the stations during the morning peak hours may face more standstill traffic and bottle-necked lanes.
Nonetheless, Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd CEO Amir Hamdan assured minimal disruption to traffic, as buses already have designated lanes and traffic police are present to provide assistance.
“The buses won't disrupt the traffic, as they have their own lanes,” he told The Vibes.
“We are also working with the traffic police to ensure that everything runs smoothly,” he added.
While he could not say when the tracks would be repaired, Amir said that proposals for safe and quick solutions will be finalised soon, which will be announced in due time.
In the meantime, more buses are available to be added to the routes, if deemed necessary.
Slow business for hawkers
The Vibes also spoke to a number of hawkers who set up stalls near the stations during the morning peak hour.
Despite the influx of commuters, they lamented that their sales were slower than usual.
Sazlin Nur Liza, a hawker at Masjid Jamek station, said that people did not have time to stop and check out her stall with the new travel schedules.
“The new timings mean that people will not waste time and buy food, as they want to chase the buses,” she opined.
Nonetheless, Wan, her business partner, said they are still getting patronage, albeit at a slower rate.
“We might have to keep our stall open for a longer time today, but fortunately, we still have customers queueing up to buy our food,” he said.
A nasi lemak hawker named Farhana anticipated that her business would be slow, as her stall is set up on the “wrong side” of Masjid Jamek station.
“Business today might be slower, as my stall is located at the station that is closed. So, people might not cross paths with my stall,” she said.
She added that although more commuters are gathered at the station, it might not reflect in better sales as they are likely first-timers to the area.
“Those at the station today might not be familiar with my products, so they might not feel inclined to purchase anyway.”
Following a kinked track alignment near the Bandaraya LRT station, service on the route between the station and Masjid Jamek has been discontinued until its safety can be ensured.
As compensation, Prasarana Malaysia Bhd extended the peak hour services for the Ampang and Sri Petaling LRT lines and the KL monorail line, as well as the addition of free intermediate buses on three routes. – The Vibes, January 30, 2023
