LRT derailment: Track to resume operations by June 3 - Loke

KUALA LUMPUR - The track on the Ampang/Sri Petaling Light Rail Transit (LRT) line, which was disrupted by a train derailment near the Chan Sow Lin Station yesterday, is expected to be operational again on Wednesday (June 3) at the latest.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the affected train is scheduled to be removed today using a crane before track repair works begin.

He said the incident occurred during a track-switching process when the first carriage of the six-carriage train was on the correct track, but the carriages behind veered onto the track heading towards Ampang.

"This caused the force from the rear carriages to pull the front carriage off the track, thus causing the first and second carriages to derail.

"The reason why the switch system or track-switching equipment did not function properly as it should must be investigated thoroughly,” he told reporters after inspecting the scene, about 250 metres from the Chan Sow Lin, here today.

Loke said an independent special task force, without the involvement of representatives of Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana), had been set up and is led by Chief Air Accident Inspector of the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Major General Tan Chee Kee and also includes experts in railway engineering.

He said the task force has been 30 days to complete its investigation report and submit it to the Cabinet for follow-up action.

"The investigation will look into whether the incident was caused by human error, system damage or system failure. The report will also be made public to ensure transparency in the investigation,” he said.

The probe will also include scrutiny of Prasarana’s maintenance regime, records and system logs related to the incident, including operations at the Operations Control Centre (OCC), the signalling system and other factors that may have contributed to the incident.

Loke said statements will be taken from OCC personnel on duty, the train driver, and related individuals to determine the actual cause of the incident.

He also did not rule out the possibility of conducting a more comprehensive internal audit of Prasarana’s entire rail transit system, including LRT and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) services.

Regarding current operations, Loke said all stations on the Ampang/Sri Petaling line remain operational, but are using a modified schedule to allow train services to continue.

He said passengers currently need to switch trains at certain stations, with train frequency slowing to between six and eight minutes until repair works are completed.

A train on the Ampang/Sri Petaling Line derailed near Chan Sow Lin station yesterday morning due to a faulty track switch, causing service disruptions, but all 25 passengers were evacuated safely and unharmed. - BERNAMA