MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim speaks during a press conference at the Pusat Bandar Damansara MRT station November 16, 2021. — Picture by Miera Zulyana
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — Phase one of the MRT Putrajaya Line (MRT2), originally scheduled to start operations this month, has been delayed to the second quarter of 2022, following a minor setback during trial operations carried out since April this year.
Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) chief executive Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim said the revised opening timeline was due to two system modules for the autonomous rail line requiring further refinement.
Mohd Zarif said it is paramount that all primary, secondary and tertiary layers of systems are stable before MRT Corp can take possession of the assets from its appointed turnkey contractors to commence operations.
“Having gone through the date ourselves, we detected that out of hundreds of system modules being implemented, two modules require further refinement.
“As of now, I am not able to tell you the exact date because this is not something we can just plug in tomorrow because any software update will need to go through rigorous test regimes.
“Given that scenario, we’re looking at almost the second quarter of next year, I cannot tell you the exact date but it will take us beyond March,” he told a press conference here.
He added that trains have been running in full-service mode daily without passengers to simulate actual operations as part of its Final Detailed Inspection and System Performance Demonstration process.
The MRT2 alignment will have a total length of 57.7km, consisting of 44.2km of elevated tracks and 13.5km running through underground tunnels. It will have 36 operational stations of which 27 are elevated and nine underground.
There are also 10 interchange and connecting stations to existing rail lines under the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System.
MORE TO COME