RAIL technology specialist Bombardier Transportation is in talks with local parties to form a consortium and bid for Line 2 and Line 3 of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) project.
“We hope to form the consortium in time for the tenders. We will need different divisions such as signalling, systems, electrification and rolling stock. Hence, we are talking to more than five parties,” said Bombardier president of systems division Pierre Attendu.
“We have existing partners working with us on the KVMRT Sungai Buloh to Kajang line, such as Global Rail and Hartasuma for the light rail transit extension project.
“Whether or not they want to work with us again depends on them but we are talking.”
In 2012, Bombardier secured a five-year RM281 million contract from project developer Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd to supply its Cityflo 650 control system for the 51km Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) Line.
Cityflo 650 is an automatic train control solution for driverless or unattended train operations.
For the Kelana Jaya line, Bombardier is supplying linear induction rail for the 17km extension to the system, as well as delivering the mid-life overhaul of the original vehicle fleet (210 cars) and supplying 14 new four-car Bombardier Innovia Metro 300 trains to provide additional capacity.
Global Rail is installing the signalling system for Bombardier for the MRT contract and Hartasuma is working on vehicle assembly for the LRT extension.
Attendu said Bombardier is bullish on prospects in Malaysia.
“We have seen copies of the strategic development plan here and are impressed. The high speed rail will be a major investment, followed by the MRT and LRT. In addition, there is the Klang Valley commuter line upgrade.
“These projects will run for the next five to 10 years. We have been here for 20 years and delivered more than 300 rail vehicles and turnkey signalling system.
“We have a refreshed product line from high-speed train to medium speed, and intercity commuter trains. So we are ready for the next big challenge,” Attendu said.
He said in addition to new projects, Bombardier is constantly looking at the ageing fleet that it supplied in the past and supporting the customer in terms of overhaul.
Bombardier is a supplier of onboard and wayside automatic train protection, interlocking and train detection equipment to Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd, Malaysia’s state-owned rail operator.
Its delivered projects include the Kelana Jaya LRT system, the automated people mover system at the KL International Airport, as well as the KL Sri Petaling and Ampang Lines, formerly known as STAR (Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan), where Bombardier was the lead supplier for this full turnkey system.