MRT Line 2 at 24% completion, ahead of schedule

23 Apr 2018 | The Sun Daily

Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) strategic communications and stakeholder relations director Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: The construction of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) line is ahead of its schedule by weeks, with the overall progress currently standing at more than 24%.

Describing it as a good start, Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) strategic communications and stakeholder relations director Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah said the positive progress could be seen in construction works for both SSP’s elevated and underground tracks.

Najmuddin said it was important for any project of such a scale to have a smooth beginning as it could be prepared for any unexpected challenges throughout the construction period.

“We do not know what challenges we might face in the future. Therefore, having a very good start is important for the project,” he told a press conference at the MRT SSP underground works fire and rescue capabilities showcase at Bandar Malaysia North MRT construction site.

Najmuddin said MRT Corp expected the project to be completed according to schedule if the construction went on smoothly without any major difficulties.

He added the first phase of MRT SSP was expected to be operational by the third quarter of 2021 before its full completion in late 2022.

On the tunnelling works for its underground tracks, Najmuddin said it was still in the initial stage with one Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) in operation.

He added a total of 12 TBMs would be deployed throughout the project, four more than the previously completed MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) line.

The additional TBMs was due to the longer underground tracks of the SSP line as opposed to SBK, Najmuddin said.

“The TBMs will be used in different locations as the tunnelling works are done in a specific way,” he said.

“We have already gained the tunnelling experience from the first line. It will be used to improve our machines and ease the team for tunnelling works in the second line,” he added.

The SSP alignment will have a length of 52.2km, consisting of 38.7km of elevated tracks and 13.5km running through underground tunnels.

SSP, which is the second of three lines planned under the Klang Valley MRT project, will have 35 stations of which 24 are elevated and 11 underground.