KTM Komuter woes

KTM Komuter came into limelight again for 'no' apparent reason again. Its services has been heavily criticised and not to be mention as 'lousy' public transport provider.

A The Star reader sent a letter (Wake-up call for KTM Komuter) to voice out her grouses and dissatisfaction.

And below is the reply from representative of KTM Berhad.

KTM addressing the woes (The Star)

Thursday November 17, 2011

WE refer to “Wake-up call for KTM Komuter” (The Star, Nov 15). We are aware of the problems that the writer and other commuters face.

In order to rectify the problems, we introduced, in October, KTM Komuter Twitter, which provides information on the rescheduling of the train timetable and cancellations.

The writer and others may follow us on @ktmkomuter for service updates.

We also make frequent announcements at all stations on train arrivals, cancellations as well as on safety messages.

We do notice the crowds at stations and make announcements for commuters boarding to allow passengers to disembark first before getting onto the train to avoid chaos on the platform.

One of our main initiatives to ease passenger flow during peak hours is to provide nine additional six-car Komuter trains on weekdays for the Seremban–Sungai Buloh–Seremban section (considered to have the highest capacity) that could double the passenger capacity.

Another initiative is that KTM Bhd has ordered 38 new six-car sets (SCS). Two sets have arrived and are undergoing testing with a view to being put into operation in early 2012.

With the additional 38 new SCS, we aim to improve our train intervals from 30 minutes to 10 minutes. These 38 new SCS come with features such as better air-conditioning system, ergonomic seats, two coaches for ladies, CCTV for security, space for the disabled, dynamic route display, Passenger Information System (PIS), priority seats for the elderly and others in need, and passenger intercom.

In the meantime, please bear with us as we are going through a difficult period of having to delicately juggle our services between major maintenance and meeting customer demand.

Both are equally important to us, and we are trying our level best to keep up and meet the deadlines and expectations.

We apologise for the inconveniences and thank the writer for her valuable feedback.

MOHD FAZIL ISMAIL,
Corporate Communications,
KTM Bhd.

MRT reduce cost of cars

THE Sungai Buloh-Kajang MRT costing about RM50 billion could be a profitable investment if it leads to a drastic reduction in the number of vehicles on the roads in the Klang Valley.

There will be a proportional decrease in the number of private vehicles as public transport becomes more efficient. Presently, about 500,000 vehicles are sold annually.

If the MRT is successful, this will affect the sales of Proton and Perodua as the number of vehicles sold may be drastically reduced. Will the government accept this?

There is no point investing RM50 billion and not bring down car ownership.

Most families in the Klang Valley have cars as they cannot rely on public transport.

The MRT will make sense if fewer new highways and flyovers are built and roads upgraded as billions of ringgit will be saved and can be used for the MRT, making it a sound investment for the government.

Due to the high cost involved in building the MRT underground, it might have to be limited to certain sections only.

And this means many properties have to be acquired at market price and this will increased the cost of the MRT.

The MRT can only be as good as the feeder service system.

The government should not only rely on buses which are expensive and cause congestion themselves during peak hours but should consider using vans for the feeder service. Vans can carry 10 to 12 passengers, are less expensive, move faster and can even provide door-to-door service in housing estates.

The problem with the LRT and the KTM commuter service is mainly due to poor feeder services which have to addressed by the government for the MRT project.

A feeder service with vans can be owner-operated and will be more reliable.

V. Thomas
Sungai Buloh

KVMRT: We welcomed the feedback by V. Thomas and it was a good argument indeed.

Underground is the way to go

Urban transport: Underground is the way to go

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

I REFER to comments made by Go MRT Interim Support Committee chairman Ted Tugal in the article "Group wants public to 'Go MRT'" (The Malay Mail, March 3).

I must state that he hascompletely missed the point and is barking up the wrong tree as overall, the residents, especially in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) and Kota Damansara, are not against the MRT project.

The main issue is not the temporary inconvenience during the construction stage that is alleged by him.
Instead, the fundamental call is for the elevated track to go underground.

The elevated track, running over the Persiaran Surian and the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP), will have trains running just metres away from thousands of existing homes, making it intolerable to live due to the noise, pollution and frequency of trains passing through every few minutes.

It is not that there are no alternative solutions as there are well-based and sound reasons for going underground.

Firstly the Mass RapidTransit (MRT) track is a “retro-fit” being squeezed over narrow road reserves.

Poor planning has resulted in there being no provision for MRT reserves with proper buffers.

Albeit it will cost more to go underground, but the total long-term benefits must override the short term, one-off cost savings of construction.

The intolerable noise and pollution are permanent and recurring damages.

The scaring of the vista and blocking of sunlight are also long term detrimental factors.

The inflexibility for future expansion of both the MRT and the roads below should also be taken into account.

The additional cost can be off-set with less land acquisition and also the commercial development of areas beside all these underground stations as widely done in MRT stations worldwide.

Tugal has asked those living mere meters away from the elevated track to make the supreme sacrifice for the greater good.

I wonder how he would react if his house was similarly affected.

In developed countries, those whose properties that are debased by public infrastructure are properly compensated.

In Malaysia, however, there is no such provision in the Acquisition Act.

You only have a locus standi to claim injurious affection after any part of your property has been acquired and have no claims whatsoever even if you are situated right on the boundary of the MRT.

Other developed countries also have Constitutional protection of the peaceful enjoyment of their properties from any state actions, based on the fundamental rule of the 'Right to Life'.

It is supremely selfish of those who will enjoy convenient access to the MRT and to ignore the plight of those who have to suffer constant intolerable noise and pollution with trains passing by next to their homes every few minutes.

For those who have called us selfish, please search your soul and be honest. How would you react if your home was next to the elevated MRT track?

Please show some compassion and humanity and join us in unison to lobby for the track to go underground for the wider and long-term good of the community.

Our call is for a holistic evaluation of the options and we call upon all residents and people like Tugal to be more selfless and ensure the MRT serves the interest of the wider good and not only those that will benefit and do not need to sacrifice anything for it.

ZHANG C G
Bandar Utama