KUALA LUMPUR – Service frequency between the Sentul Timur and Bandaraya LRT stations has been reduced to an interval of 12 minutes following the removal of several trains for safety reasons, Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd said.
There had been five trains used between the two stations since January 27, but three of them have been removed as they no longer meet operational criteria.
“The number of trains that can now operate are only two,” Rapid Rail said in a statement tonight.
Service on the Ampang-Sentul Timur LRT line has been affected since late last month after the discovery of structural damage and cracks to viaducts and a pier near the Bandaraya station.
Repairs are to take seven months, until September.
Commuters moving between the Sentul Timur and Bandaraya stations can in the meantime use an intermediate bus service (LRT11) between the two points that will be activated during peak hours, Rapid Rail said.
It added that 10 buses are being used for this purpose.
“The LRT11 intermediate bus service will stop at the Sentul Timur, Sentul, Titiwangsa, PWTC, Sultan Ismail, and Bandaraya LRT stations. A one-way trip on an intermediate bus from Sentul Timur to the Bandaraya station is expected to take 30 minutes,” the company said.
Prasarana Malaysia Bhd yesterday confirmed that the damage to the line was due to ground movements caused by construction works near the Bandaraya station that had commenced without informing rail authorities.
The damage has also caused services to be suspended between the Masjid Jamek and Bandaraya stations.
The Chan Sow Lin, Titiwangsa, and Sg Besi LRT stations are serving as alternative interchange stations, while feeder bus services will also continue to help commuters complete their journeys. – The Vibes, February 23, 2023
