Najib wants MRT project to take off by July

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project under the Greater KL initiative to be implemented by July next year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala said.

He said the technical report on the project, including the route, had been completed and would be tabled at the National Economic Council and Cabinet for scrutiny this month.

“The public will be able to give their feedback after the council decides on the technical report,” he said at a news conference here yesterday.

Present was Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.

Idris said another project – the high-speed railway – would enter the first phase of studies for two months from early next year, to be followed by six months of detailed studies.

Meanwhile, Raja Nong Chik said the MRT route would be on federal land to avoid problems related to land acquisition while the distribution of MRT stations would be determined later.

He said among the locations to be served by the MRT lines was Kampung Baru, which would be among the focus areas of the Greater KL initiative.

The MRT system would be integrated with existing transportation systems, he said, adding that Greater KL would also cover the rehabilitation of polluted rivers in the Klang Valley and greening of the national capital with the planting of 30,000 trees next year. – Bernama