Govt Plans to Add 50 New Train Sets for KTM ETS & Komuter Services

The government is planning to add 50 new train sets to meet growing demand for KTM ETS & Komuter services.

The Malaysian government is planning to add 50 new train sets for both the KTM ETS and KTM Komuter services to meet growing demands. These new train sets will be delivered in phases for the next three years.

As reported by NST, transport minister Anthony Loke said these trains will be procured through a leasing arrangement with the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), allowing for a more cost-efficient expansion of the rail fleet.

Transport Minister YB Anthony Loke

"The leasing model, which includes maintenance costs and installment payments, enables the government to acquire up to 50 new train sets within the planned timeline.

"Of these, at least 50 will be allocated specifically to accommodate the expected increase in traffic from the Ipoh Sentral project," the minister told NST at the Perak DAP dinner in Ipoh yesterday.

These new train set acquisitions are also being made in anticipation of the upcoming Ipoh Sentral project. Loke also said that the public park component of the project must be prioritised before the commercial phases.

"We have made it very clear to the master developer, Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB), that the first phase of the project must focus on the development of the park.

"We want the local community to immediately feel the positive impact of the development and have something they can be proud of," Loke added.

Part of the new Ipoh Sentral plan is the relocation of the rail operation from the existing Ipoh train station to a new, modern station. In return, the existing station will be repurposed into a historic site or a museum.

"We do have a budget allocated for conserving the old station building, but it must be properly maintained. As a historic and heritage site, it deserves to be protected.

"The current station could be repurposed as a gallery or museum, while train operations will shift to the new station. Funds have already been allocated for its preservation," he said.

With an estimated cost of RM6.25 billion, the upcoming Ipoh Sentral will combine elements of transportation, urban planning, and sustainability in a single complex that is poised to improve public transportation and urban connectivity in Perak as a whole.

Source: NST