KUCHING: Three out of the six routes for the light rail transit (LRT) lines in Kuching are expected to be operational by 2024.
This was announced by the Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg during a press conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here yesterday.
The three routes are Damai Line, Serian Line, and Kuching City Line.
The Damai Line will be from Muara Tuang to Damai which covers a distance of 59.7 km.
It will traverse through UNIMAS, Riveria, Simpang Tiga, Hikmah Exchange, Hospital Petrajaya, Bandar Baru Samariang, Sentoria, Sungai Batu, and Damai Central as the route covers 48 per cent of the current travel demand for Kuching.
For the Serian Line, it will start from Serian to Muara Tebas covering a distance of 84.02 km.
It will traverse through Baki, Tapah, Siburan, Penrissen, Kota Padawan, Kuching International Airport, Tabuan, Simpang Tiga, Pending, Demak Laut, Bako, and Muara Tebas.
This route covers approximately 30 per cent of the current travel demand for Kuching.
As for the Kuching City Line, it will be a city dispersal line with a distance of approximately 11 km.
It will traverse through Hikmah Exchange, Waterfront, UTC, Jalan Abell, Padungan Central, Tanah Putih, Jambatan Tun Salahuddin, Darul Hana, Wisma Bapa Malaysia and Medan Raya.
This route will be covering the Kuching CBD area and will be an at-grade tram system which can navigate through the urban streets, has fewer intrusive stops, and integrates well with pedestrianised urban landscape.
The Chief Minister also revealed that each LRT line is expected to create a total of 20,919 jobs once it is fully operational.
“The LRT system envisages realising efficient mobility in Kuching by creating economic opportunities, enabling trade, and facilitating access to markets and services.
“At the same time, it will help transform Kuching into a more dynamic and competitive city, as well as create more jobs.
“Besides, the LRT will traverse and link dense residential areas, businesses, industrial areas, tourist hotspots, and new transit oriented developments (TOD). Thus, driving the economic development in Kuching.
“The TOD along the corridor will be examined and incorporated in line with the state development plans.
“The development of the LRT is expected to provide benefits in terms of time saving, monetary savings due to lower annual vehicle operating costs, and creating job opportunities, amongst others,” he said.
Powered by hydrogen, Abang Johari said that the train would be environmentally friendly in nature.
“This cost effective and environmentally friendly technology is new to the rail industry, and is anticipated to be the first of its kind to be implemented in this region when incorporated in the Kuching LRT system.
“This will not only reduce costs and is environmentally friendly, but it is also in line with the state government’s vision to develop a hydrogen economy as part of the state’s green initiative, thereby generating economic benefits for the people of Sarawak.
“Innovative construction techniques, coupled with the use of hydrogen fuel cells, make the LRT project economically viable.
“Further studies to refine the costs will be carried out in the next phase,” he explained.
Also present during the press conference were Deputy Chief Ministers, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
The state, through Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), has appointed HSS Integrated Sdn Bhd to undertake a feasibility study for the LRT project in Kuching on 16 August last year.
