KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 28): The reinstatement of five stations on the LRT3 line in Shah Alam, Selangor is expected to cost RM5.3 billion, higher than initially estimated, says Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah.
This is higher than the RM4.7 billion cost estimated when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the revival plan for the five stations — Tropicana, Temasya, Raja Muda, Bukit Raja, and Bandar Botanik — during the presentation of Budget 2024 in Parliament last year.
However, Hasbi did not elaborate on the breakdown of the RM5.3 billion cost for the five LRT3 stations.
“This will bring the total cost for the LRT3 stations to RM21.93 billion, still far lower than the original cost of RM31.65 billion,” Hasbi told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday, during the oral question and answer session.
The 37km LRT3 line, currently under construction, connects Bandar Utama to Johan Setia in Klang, and was first announced in 2015, during the Barisan Nasional administration.
The project underwent a “renegotiation and rationalisation” exercise after Pakatan Harapan took over the administration in 2018, which resulted in the total cost being halved to RM16.63 billion.
Among the cost-cutting measures was shelving the five stations, with the government at the time citing tight fiscal constraints.
Construction work on the LRT3 project has reached 95.6% completion and is expected to be operational in the third quarter of next year, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook had reportedly said in July.
For the reinstatement of the five stations, Hasbi noted that the rail service owner-operator Prasarana Malaysia Bhd is currently finalising the technical details and additional financial agreements for the LRT3.
The design scope for reinstating the five stations is expected to be finalised in the first quarter of 2025, while construction work is anticipated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025.
“Completion of the five stations is expected in the fourth quarter of 2027, with operations anticipated to start in the second quarter of 2028,” Hasbi noted.
For more Parliament stories, click here.