KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13: Free KTM Komuter services on January 24 and 25 as well as free RapidBus services in the Klang Valley and Penang and the provision of 24-hour KTM Komuter train service for 4 days and three nights (Jan 23-26) are among some of the efforts being taken by the Transport Ministry to ensure smooth transportation during Thaipusam, which falls on Jan 25.
The free rides on KTM Komuter in the Klang Valley on Jan 24 and 25 to be given by the Madani government will aso be the first time during the Thaipusam period. This service will start from 00:00 am Jan 24 to 11.59pm Jan 25.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook announced this today when he visited, for the first time, the Batu Caves here, where thousands of people from the Hindu faith as well as other Malaysians and tourists will gather during the week-long Thaipusam celebration period.
More than 250,000 people are expected to use KTM Komuter train service during this free ride period and this is expected to further rise and peak on Thaipusam day, he said.
KTMB will be also offering additional services for the ETS Butterworth – KL Sentral and Padang Besar – KL Sentral route during the period, he said during a press conference at the Batu Caves KTM train station.
The Railway Asset Corporation has also repaired and upgraded the pedestrian bridge at the Batu Caves train station ahead of the celebration, he said. The works including new roof, lightings and painting, at a cost of RM95,599 were completed in June last year.
Under the 24-hour train services from Jan 23-26, a total of 33 additional services will serve the Batu Caves – Pulau Sebang – Batu Caves route while 39 will serve the Batu Caves – Pelabuhan Klang – Batu Caves route.
This will bring the number of additional train services by KTM Komuter to 72 services per day.
The additional train services, which will take off after the regular train service time ends, will start at 9.55 pm on January 23 from Pulau Sebang train station headed to Batu Caves with the service scheduled for every one hour.
The service from Port Klang station to Batu Caves will start at 11.39 the same night as well.
KTMB will also offer direct train services from Port Klang to Batu Caves after 12 midnight but there will be no additional train services from Tanjung Malim to Batu Caves.
However, commuters will be able to take the connecting services from Tanjung Malim to Putra train station, Bank Negara, Kuala Lumpur and KL Sentral before switching to the Batu Caves route.
Apart from the feeder bus services there will also be three bus services in Kuala Lumpur and 5 in Penang serving people travelling to areas where Thaipusam will be celebrated.
The minister said the transport services providers will be also working closely with the police to ensure that the buses are able to smoothly go through the routes.
–WE