KUALA LUMPUR: All 656 escalators at Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations will be fully operational by September.
This was promised by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong during his visit to the Ampang Park LRT station yesterday.
“We acknowledge the problem and will take immediate action to ensure both escalators and passenger lifts are available for passengers,” he said at a press conference after his visit.
As for the facilities at the Ampang Park LRT station, Wee said they are in working condition.
He added that the Department of Occupational Safety and Health Kuala Lumpur has given an assurance the escalators and lifts are safe for public use.
When asked about the faulty facilities at LRT stations, which had caused problems for passengers, especially senior citizens and persons with disabilities, Wee said the problems were due to the maintenance contract. However, the issue has been resolved.
He added that maintenance work is now being carried out by the manufacturer due to technical issues.
“We can’t just ask anyone to carry out maintenance work due to the need for specific parts, technical aspects and safety inspection, which would be carried out by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health every 15 months.”
Wee said 97.2% of lifts at all Prasarana stations and 93% of escalators are operational.
“There is always an alternative facility that is available for passengers,” he said.
He added that users could get help from the station staff if they faced any issues.
Wee said Prasarana and Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd had previously faced difficulties because the escalators’ manufacturer had delayed delivery of spare parts.
“The manufacturers in China had not been operational due to the Covid-19 lockdown in that country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wee said they are looking at a bigger picture of train breakdown incidents involving the Kelana Jaya LRT line, which made it unsafe for use.
“Prasarana has hired a third-party consultant to assess all trains and identify the cause of these problems.”
The consultant and the train manufacturer will assess and look into the causes of the breakdowns involving Prasarana’s trains, he said.
“If the parts are failing within its life span, we will enquire with the consultants and manufacturers, about the cause of those failures,” he said.
During the May 20 incident, the train was working well in the morning but at 4.46pm, Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd’s control centre was notified of a problem with the braking system.
