Structural damage at LRT Bandaraya Station caused by nearby construction work - Loke

KUALA LUMPUR - The damage to structures near the Bandaraya LRT Station, which resulted in the suspension of the rail service, is found to be caused by soil movement, believed to be from works at an adjacent construction site, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

He said construction work at the site was conducted without any consultation with the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) as required under the Railways (Railway Protection Zone) Regulations 1998.

As such, he said, the ministry would look at the possibility of taking legal action against the developer concerned.

"All construction projects that are close to the railway protection zone require permission from APAD...the disruption (of the rail service) is not caused by damage to our system, but due to structural damage caused by construction work near the Bandara Station," he told a press conference at the Parliament building here today.

To avoid a similar situation, Loke suggested the local authorities refer to APAD before approving any construction work in the railway protection zone.

He also said Prasarana was in the process of appointing a contractor to carry out the repair work, which is expected to begin next month early and would take seven months to complete.

"This includes two months for temporary repair works to strengthen the structure and five months for comprehensive repair works. The repair work will take time because the investigation shows that the damage to the affected structure poses a very serious safety risk," he added.

Prasarana, he said, would also take mitigation measures to reduce service disruptions. - BERNAMA