Prasarana confirms the Shah Alam LRT3 line will not open this year as testing continues to resolve technical issues, prioritising safety and reliability.
SHAH ALAM: Prasarana Malaysia Berhad has confirmed the Light Rail Transit 3 Shah Alam Line will not begin operations this year.
The delay is due to unresolved system stability and software issues identified during testing.
Group President and CEO Amir Hamdan said a new opening date will only be announced once all technical components are certified to operate reliably.
This includes signalling systems, train software and full network integration meeting APAD standards.
“We must prioritise safety and reliability,” Amir said at a media briefing.
“We want the system to be stable, safe and dependable before it is opened to the public.”
The project is currently undergoing a mandatory fault-free run.
This requires trains to travel thousands of kilometres to detect technical problems.
Issues like doors failing to open or trains stopping inaccurately often only appear after 2,000 to 4,000 kilometres of testing. This long-distance testing is needed to gather data for accurate software fixes.
One train set has completed 4,000 kilometres and serves as a reference model.
Three other sets have completed 3,000 kilometres, while another 18 are undergoing testing to meet a 2,500-kilometre minimum.
Since August 26, 33 technical issues have been identified and resolved through phased software updates.
Each update requires a further testing period to validate its effectiveness.
Signalling provider Siemens and train manufacturer CRRC are providing full technical support to expedite solutions.
Prasarana continues to brief the Transport Minister on progress weekly.
The company targets completion of all major tests by the end of January.
The final schedule will be confirmed in mid-January once system stability is fully validated.
Amir reiterated that the LRT3 project cost remains unchanged under a fixed-price contract.
He dismissed claims that the delay has led to any cost increases.
