KUALA LUMPUR: Prasarana Malaysia Bhd will undertake a RM50 million upgrade of its monorail line amenities.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the comprehensive upgrade is to address several longstanding issues to enhance the service's safety and reliability. The upgrades include lifts, platform doors, toilets, and upgrades to the closed circuit television camera (CCTV) system with video analytics.
"We have identified several critical issues requiring immediate attention, notably the malfunctioning lifts at monorail stations where out of the 21 lifts across 11 stations, only three are currently operational.
"Action has been taken, and the contract for repairing the lifts has been awarded," he told reporters after a working visit to Wisma Monorail.
Loke said the lifts at the Imbi, Hang Tuah, and Tun Sambanthan stations are expected to be repaired by October this year.
The repairs at the Bukit Nanas, Bukit Bintang, Tuanku Medan, and KL Sentral stations are expected to be completed by January next year.
The remaining stations—Chow Kit, Titiwangsa, and Maharajalela—should see repairs finished by April 2025.
He added that another critical issue is the non-functional doors between the platform and train, a problem stemming from previous station upgrades that were delayed due to contractor issues.
"The project will take a few months to complete with the first phase, covering four stations—KL Sentral, Tun Sambanthan, Maharajalela, and Hang Tuah— having their automatic gate system completed by October 2024.
"The second phase, encompassing seven more stations, will be completed by December this year. This system ensures the automatic closing of these doors once the train leaves and opening of these doors when the train arrives, mitigating significant safety risks."
Loke said currently, the doors between the station's platform and the train remains open at such instances, posing significant risks.
He said there have been incidents where passengers fell onto the tracks, particularly among disabled individuals who frequented the monorail service.
In ensuring accountability and transparency, he said the progress of the works will monitored closely.
Earlier during his working visit to Wisma Monorail, Loke expressed appreciation to a monorail captain for ensuring the safety of passengers after an uprooted tree fell on the tracks during a thunderstorm earlier this month.
He praised the swift action taken by Ahmad Zahiruddin Nordin who had managed to stop the monorail before reaching the site of the fallen tree on the fateful afternoon.
He also described Zahiruddin as an 'unsung hero' who ensures a smooth monorail service every day.
On May 7, four monorail stations were temporarily closed after a large tree was uprooted during a thunderstorm at 2pm. The tree smashed on vehicles along Jalan Sultan Ismail as well as the monorail track.
A 47-year-old man died, while another two people were injured in the incident which also damaged 17 vehicles.