Lockdown: Malaysia’s largest city closed for 22 hours! (Update #6)

• Update: We note with great interest that on 9 July there was a lot of activity around KL Sentral where many people were stranded when the station was closed. There was also activity around Puduraya bus stations. That should make clear the importance of a transport hub!
• Update: All LRT & Monorail services are back to normal as of 7 pm. See a chronology of station closings and re-openings below!
  Update: As of 2:20 pm, KL Sentral and Tun Sambanthan stations are closed!
• Update: As of approximately 1:30 pm, Plaza Rakyat LRT and Chow Kit Monorail stations are closed by police order!
• Update: As of approximately 12:45 pm, both Pasar Seni & Masjid Jamek stations are closed! Services on the Kelana Jaya Line will not stop at those stations and services on the Ampang Line will not stop at Masjid Jamek!
• Update:

TRANSIT took note of the following information pertaining to the unnecessary and disappointing lockdown of KL for a 22 hour period by the Royal Malaysian Police and supported by the Land Public Transport Commission.

If you want politics, there are other websites to discuss it. Our focus is on public transport and how it will be affected by the lockdown.

We will post the links now and add comments soon

Major roads into city centre off limits to all vehicles tomorrow (NST, 8 July 2011)

TRANSIT Says:
Well, we always wondered what KL would look like without cars. This will be our chance to see it in real life.

Roadblocks, inspections at all LRT, KTM Komuter stations in Selangor

TRANSIT Says:

Maybe the government was paying attention to our suggestions about encouraging people to travel to KL by LRT & Komuter – apparently many people found it easier and faster than the LRT on July 9.

Shock over bus terminal closure (Malay Mail, 8 July 2011)

TRANSIT Says:

As the saying goes, when elephants clash, the mice are trampled. In other words whatever happens, the rakyat will be forced to lose (even if they never had to lose)

No fear, taxis still here: Operators say business as usual unless things get out of hand (The Malay Mail, 8 July 2011)

TRANSIT Says:

Will we see exploitation by these taxi drivers? Hopefully SPAD and the police will be there to enforce the laws as strongly as they enforce the road closures and terminal closures!

The  Chronology of Events (related to public transport)

July 7 & 8

• SPAD Chair states that SPAD will not issue any temporary permits for school & factory bus operators to prevent extra travel to KL. The reason given is the potential for added congestion.
• The SPAD Chair (who is a former Home Minister) meets with bus operators to explain the issue.
• Road closure plans are issued – drivers are shocked & angered.
• Plans for the closure of Hentian Puduraya, Pekeliling and Putra are announced. Public transport users are shocked & angered.

July 9

NOTE: All times are approximate

• 11:00 am both Hang Tuah LRT and Maharajalela Monorail stations have been closed by police order. LRT & Monorail services continue operating but do not stop at those stations;
• 12:45 pm, both Pasar Seni & Masjid Jamek stations are closed! Services on the Kelana Jaya Line continue but do stop at those stations. Services on the Ampang Line also do not stop at Masjid Jamek
• 1:30 pm, Plaza Rakyat LRT and Chow Kit Monorail stations are closed by police order
• 2:20 pm, KL Sentral and Tun Sambanthan stations are closed
• 2:30 pm, KL Sentral and Medan Tunku monorail station are confirmed closed
• 3:00 pm MyRapidTransit site announces technical difficulties “for the day” on their twitter feed
• 3:15 pm Dang Wangi LRT station closed
• 4:25 pm KLCC LRT station closed
• 4:40 pm Ampang Park LRT station closed
• 5:11 pm Monorail stations at KL Sentral, Tun Sambanthan, and Chow Kit are reopened
• 5:30 pm Ampang LRT station Hang Tuah reopened
• 5:30 pm all Ampang Line LRT stations except Masjid Jamek reopened
• 5:30 pm all Kelana Jaya line stations except Masjid Jamek, Dang Wangi and KLCC are reopened
• 5:30 pm all KL Monorail stations except Maharajalela are reopened
• 6:00 pm KL Monorail and Ampang line are operating as normal
• 6:10 pm Kelana Jaya line operating as normal
• 7:00 pm Tony Pua tweets that police are questioning riders who exit LRT stations in the suburban areas