PM officiates RM32 billion MRT SSP line

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday officiated the groundbreaking of the RM32 billion mass rapid transit (MRT) Sungai BulohSerdang-Putrajaya (SSP) line, the second one after the Sungai BulohKajang (SBK) line.

The groundbreaking of the 52.5 km line marks another milestone for Greater Kuala Lumpur to achieve 40 per cent public transport modal share within the next 15 years. As at end-2015, the share stood at 25 per cent. The first MRTSBK line, which is being built at a cost of RM23 billion, is now 89 per cent completed.

MRT Corp director of strategic communications and stakeholder relations Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah said the SSP line will have greater daily ridership of 530,000 people, while the SBK line will see daily ridership of 440,000 people.

The tender process for the SSP line is still ongoing, with 23 work packages already awarded to date, he said recently.

Of the 52.2 km total length, the SSP line will have a total of 24 stations with 11 underground stations along a 13.5 km portion.

“The development of this SSP line is very crucial to the sustainable growth of Kuala Lumpur. All three MRT lines will be the main arteries or backbones of the city’s public transport system, which also includes light rail transit, monorail and KTM Komuter.

“The SSP line will provide accessibility and ridership primarily to job catchment areas, commercial, residential, education and recreational,” he had said.

On the development of the SBK, Najmuddin said the metro is on track to start its first phase of operations in December.

“The entire line will be ready for the public by July next year. So far, we have kept the development cost within the budgeted estimation,” he added. The SBK and SSP lines will be supported by 58 train sets for each line. — Bernama