KLANG: The Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT3) line, which connects the Johan Setia LRT station in Klang to the Bandar Utama station in Sungai Buloh, is expected to begin operations by March 1, 2025, says Anthony Loke.

The Transport Minister said work on the highly anticipated new line was nearing completion with 20 stations planned for its first phase.

"Construction and civil work on the 20 stations are over 80% complete, with most of the remaining work is for the installation and testing of the key systems like signalling.

"The 22 new three-coach trains for the line are also fully built and are undergoing test runs to ensure their consistent performance after the line's launch," he told reporters during a work visit to the Johan Setia LRT Depot on Tuesday (July 4).

He noted that the new line would connect a number of bustling districts in Klang, Shah Alam and Petaling Jaya to the overall RapidKL rail network through two interchange stations.

The two interchange stations would be its Glenmarie station (with the Kelana Jaya LRT Line) and Bandar Utama station (with the Kajang MRT Line).

Once operational, the line will be able to transport up to 18,630 passengers per hour, according to Loke.

He highlighted the importance of the new line, noting that it would increase adoption of public transport in the Klang, Shah Alam and Petaling Jaya areas.

"The 37km long line is expected to serve over two million residents in the western corridor of the Klang Valley area.

"By providing them increased convenience and accessibility, this will hopefully encourage the increased adoption of public transport among residents in Klang and Shah Alam," he added.