Plan for tram service in KL city

The Federal Territories Ministry plans to introduce a tram service in Kuala Lumpur as a solution to reduce traffic congestion in the capital city.

Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said traffic congestion in the city was their main challenge.

“We are studying about providing a tram system within the central business district,” he said in a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur New Year Run at Dataran Merdeka recently.

He said they were looking for trams that used the fly wheel system, similar to those found in Europe, namely in London.

Tengku Adnan said a proposal has been presented to the Economy Council (EC).

“The council officers came back to us to re-look at the area and where we would want to place the stations and rails,” he said.

On June 4, 2014, StarMetro reported the then Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib saying that a proposal to provide tram services had been presented to the Federal Territories Ministry and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

He had said that many European countries had successfully introduced trams in their cities, such as Spain which was using a green perimeter fence to build the tracks as it allowed grass to grow.

On another matter, Tengku Adnan said he would suggest to Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz to implement a centralised market concept, such as the one at Sri Petaling, at other markets to prevent traders from conducting their business on the streets.

He was speaking after a site visit to talk to pretty traders and customers of the market last Thursday.

“It is cleaner, more organised and comfortable for people to do their shopping compared to the previous location where the market was in an open area and was dirty,” he said.

Tengku Adnan hoped that the traders would ensure that the prices of their items were more affordable since they were not paying rent for their business units.

It was the first time the organiser Persatuan Wilayah Ceria 1Malaysia organised the event.

“This event will add to the list of attractions at the Federal Territories,” he said, adding that more than 7,000 participants attended the event.

Persatuan Wilayah Ceria 1Malaysia patron Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin said they would organise the event every year on New Year’s Day following the good response.

“There were 60 foreign runners from 15 countries, such as Japan, the UK and India, who joined the event,” he said. - By Wong Pek Mei (The Star)