Friday, May 15, 2009

Kuala Lumpur’s Green Ambitions



The lack of a single governing authority to oversee the master planning and project implementation for the capital city is causing the city to lose it
by Khalil Adis

The deficiencies in Kuala Lumpur’s rail system are quite apparent. Although Kuala Lumpur’s mass transit system may appear seamless on its map, the reality is quite a different thing altogether. For this writer, commuting by train to get to the heart of the capital likens to being taken for a ride - literally. Imagine alighting from your coach at Bangsar LRT with heavy luggage in tow, only to realise that there are no lifts or escalators. Instead, one needs to take the stairs and carry the luggage up to the station platform.

That’s not all. To get to Bukit Bintang monorail station, one needs to alight at Dang Wangi LRT station, cross a road and then walk a few metres to take the KL Monorail line at Bukit Nanas station. Upon arrival at Bukit Bintang station, one also needs to manoeuvre through the station’s bridge that takes you up and then down to the other platform before arriving at the station’s exit. If that sounds complicated enough from a visitor’s point of view, imagine what locals have to go through on a daily basis, especially with a child’s pram in tow. Perhaps, it is for these reasons, Malaysians prefer commuting to Kuala Lumpur using their own cars.

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