"It's Too Shabby" - Melaka Monorail Draws Mixed Responses As It Reopens After 4 Years
Operations have finally resumed since it was suspended in 2013.
By Tang Ruxyn — 04 Dec 2017, 07:13 PM
After four long years, the monorail service in Melaka has resumed operations
Bernama reported yesterday, 3 December, that the 1.6km line which connects Taman Rempah to the Hang Tuah Station on Jalan Bunga Raya, will begin operating again on 4 December.
It was reported that the monorail, which was built at a cost of RM16.5 million, was on a four-year hiatus since 2013 owing to technical issues.
According to Melaka mayor Datuk Zainal Abu, the trains runs every weekday from 10am to 10pm. He added that the service will be extended until midnight on weekends.
"Currently, only one coach which can accommodate up to 15 people will travel each round which will take 30 minutes," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Zainal said that each ticket will cost RM10
Tickets can be purchased at the Jalan Tun Ali Monorail Station, which is located opposite the Graha Maju or the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Bandaraya Melaka campus building.
Passengers will be treated with a panoramic view of the historic town of Melaka as the monorail circles Sungai Melaka.
The authorities have attempted to revive the rail system in the past few years
Ever since it was first launched in October 2010, the China-made monorail was plagued with technical problems that led to frequent service disruptions.
In one incident, 20 passengers were left stranded after the train was stalled about 100m from Hang Jebat, the main station. Eventually, the passengers were reportedly rescued with a sky lift.
Previously, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron reportedly said that the project must be revived because "a lot of money has been spent on it".
Many netizens have since questioned why it took four years for the technical issues to be resolved
Some have expressed their concerns over safety, saying that the rail structure looks "shabby"
Meanwhile, quite a number of people said that ticket prices are too expensive. However, some others pointed out this monorail service is targeted at tourists rather than residents in Melaka.
On the other hand, some people opined that the monorail is a good idea to reduce congestion in the city
