KL Sentral facelift

The hassle of descending by stairs to take bus to LCCT or to KL Monorail station is a past thing.

Now KL Sentral users can use the a new separate escalator to descend and previous one way escalator is modified.

Notice indicating the new escalator at KL Sentral. Courtesy of kampong2005.

This way!

The view from lower ground floor of KL Sentral

Besides, the upgrading work between Monorail station and Nu Sentral is taking shape and slated for completion by next year. Other efforts include the construction of a pedestrian bridge, a new lift, and RC Stairs from Nu Sentral Retail Mall into the station.

Note: All images in this post does not belong to KVMRT blog. Any reproduce in any form should refer to original source.

UTC in Pudu Sentral

Pudu Sentral has been given a lifeline after being renovated for numerous times with the latest being used as part of Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) whereby government agencies such as Immigration Department, National Registration Department and many others.

People has been having difficulties to access government services due to short working hours and inefficient civil servants for decades.

UPDATE: A check on morning revealed that all passengers are frustrated with the change and inconvenience caused by the construction of stage at Jalan Pudu / Tun Tan Cheng Lock.

All buses queued along Jalan Pudu, opposite Citin Hotel to pick up passengers. As a result of that, massive congestion around Pudu Sentral area (Jalan Pudu, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Jalan Hang Tuah)

Schedules of buses are all delayed by 1 to 2 hours due to difficulty to pick up and drop off passengers at Pudu Sentral.

According to Bernama, traffic at Pudu Sentral bus terminal will see changes for the launch of the Urban Transformation Centre UTC) by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Saturday (Sept 22).

Exterior of UTC in Pudu Sentral

Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) in a statement today said buses operating at Pudu Sentral were asked to take and drop passengers along Jalan Pudu (adjacent to Pudu Sentral) from Sept 20-21.

[KVMRT: Buses for Tanjung Malim - KL express will depart at bus stop in front of Mydin, Sinar Kota. For Seremban - KL express bus will start at Pasar Seni LRT Station.]

"Jalan Pudu will be closed from 10pm on Sept 21 until 3pm on Sept 22. Passengers can board buses at Jalan Hang Tuah Terminal," the statement said.

Pudu Sentral will resume normal operation on Sunday morning (Sept 23). Passengers are advised to use Ampang Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) to and from Jalan Hang Tuah station and to follow directives, posters and signboards.

SPAD said the changes will also include "Purple Line" GoKL bus service from Bukit Bintang to Pasar Seni station from 6am on Sept 20 to 3pm on Sept 22.

[KVMRT: The setting up of main stage and canopy at main road is totally absurd. The organiser of the event must apologise to all passenger and bus operators for causing inconvenience to them.]

Pasar Seni City Bus Hub

Hab Bas Bandar Pasar Seni (also known as Pasar Seni City Bus Hub) will be opened on this Thursday, 16 August following the completion of upgrading works by KL City Hall.

Completed waiting area at Pasar Seni Bus Hub

According to press release by RapidKL, there will be 3 different zones of entrance for their buses.

Entrance A which houses 8 platforms for 11 bus routes.

Platform A8

Entrance C with 3 platforms. Credit to Kampung2005

Meanwhile RapidKL bus routes to south, includes Pudu corridor will remain operation from bus hub near Mydin Sinar Kota.

It is remained until unclear whether bus company such as Cityliner, Causeway Link, and Seranas/Wawasan Sutera will operate their bus services at the new bus hub. Previously, they operates from Klang Bus Stand (Pasaramakota).

We certainly hope that Fleet Tracking System (FTS) would be enhanced and more LCD screens will be placed at major points of the bus hub.

For complete bus routes at the Pasar Seni City Bus Hub, click here.

MRT Sg Buloh - Kajang station view

Underground station

Upon completion, the underground stations that will line the MRT Sungai Buloh – Kajang alignment will be world-class metro facilities that will not only be functional, but also aesthetic in design. The stations will employ green technology to boost energy efficiency and a number of features that will provide access to the disabled. These facilities include among others:

- Ticket gates wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs.

- Elevators from the ground level to the concourse and platforms.

- Braille markings on lift control buttons.

- Step-free access drop off points.

Wheelchair user can navigate easily at station.

KL Sentral MRT station

Each station will also serve as information centres for the MRT, and will provide information on the various lines, interchanges and transfer points. Interchange stations will clearly mark out the route for transfer passengers to enable commuters to change trains seamlessly.

Merdeka MRT station

Each station will also be given a unique identity to best reflect the relevant historical theme or activity of the location. The stations will also feature artwork by local artists as part of the “Art Express Programme”, where a panel of qualified people will select and commission appropriate artwork for each station.

Bukit Bintang Central MRT station

Best-in-class safety systems will also be employed to ensure that any emergencies that may arise during the course of the stations' operation will be quickly and efficiently handled. The stations will feature an automatic fire and sprinkler system, as well as public address systems in the event of the need for passenger evacuation.

It is also important to keep in mind that the MRT will not be a transit system in isolation. By design, the MRT will integrate with existing LRT and monorail lines to create an integrated transportation system within the Klang Valley.

BB Plaza not demolished

After some intense lobbying from affected parties and political pressure, MRT Corporation Sdn Bhd gave in and decided not to acquire BB Plaza and Bangunan Yayasan Selangor, both owned by UDA Holdings Berhad.

Landmark: The iconic 38-year-old BB Plaza, located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, will be demolished to make way for the MRT project.

As what required earlier, Bukit Bintang Central station will be right under current BB Plaza. Thus it is mandatory to demolish the once iconic building in Golden Triangle.

This is so wrong in the sense that MRT Corp has revised the station design to avoid having direct integration with BB Plaza.

However, the revised design allows for integration to take place later, if and when BB Plaza is re-developed in the future.

From the press release by MRT Corp, the following businesses located outside BB Plaza will make way for the work:

a) Gloria Jeans’ Coffees
b) Hot & Roll
c) Starbucks Coffee (seating area only)
d) MADO Ice Cream (Yayasan Selangor’s tenant)

Note: They agreed to move out and have until this Sunday to do so

The Gloria Jean’s Coffees outlet was closed.

Five tenants occupying the sidewalk cafes have until Sunday to move out of the Bukit Bintang Plaza in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Pic by Nik Hariff Hassan

The standalone Bukit Bintang Central Station will be only accessible from the ground level in front of BB Plaza.

Wouldn't that has defeated the purpose of building and integration of Bukit Bintang Central station?

KVMRT is very disappointed with the attitude of MRT Corp who always cave in to unnecessary demands by certain parties.

Let us hope no more changing of station designs in future as it is claimed to be best optimal route and point of catchment.