by Theleaders | June 28, 2026 3:45 pm
KLANG, June 28 — The government is planning to redevelop large park-and-ride sites along the newly launched LRT3 Shah Alam Line into affordable housing and commercial projects, in a move aimed at making better use of public land while encouraging greater use of public transport.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the proposal would focus on selected stations with sizable parking facilities, rather than every station along the line, with Sri Andalas station serving as the initial example.
He said Prasarana had identified large parcels of land around some stations that are currently used solely as surface car parks, despite their development potential.
“For example, the Prime Minister boarded the train today from Sri Andalas station. We have a parking facility there that accommodates 500 vehicles. It is a large piece of land.
“If we simply leave it as a car park, it would be an inefficient use of the land. The land has value and can be developed. This is not only to generate returns for Prasarana, but more importantly to stimulate development in the surrounding area,” he said in his speech during the launch of the LRT3 Shah Alam Line today.
Loke said he had sought Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s mandate to allow Prasarana to speed up such developments, particularly for affordable housing near rail stations.
He said the projects would be undertaken with private developers on government-owned land belonging to Prasarana, while ensuring the homes remain affordable.
“The objective is to provide more affordable housing close to urban areas and public transport stations.
“When residents live next to a station, they can simply walk to the train instead of relying on another mode of transport. That makes public transport a practical choice for their daily commute,” he told reporters later.
Loke said the developments would retain parking facilities by incorporating them into basement levels, while the upper floors could house affordable homes and modest commercial lots.
He added that not every station would be suitable for redevelopment, as many are already surrounded by established developments.
Anwar, who endorsed the proposal in his speech, said large tracts of land surrounding rail stations should not be left underutilised.
He said future developments should prioritise public housing rather than high-end residential projects, alongside sufficient parking and affordable retail space for small businesses.
“I don’t think five-star housing should be built there. It should be public housing, together with modest retail lots that benefit ordinary people,” he said.
Anwar also instructed the Transport Ministry, the Finance Ministry and Prasarana to expedite planning for the developments through a dedicated unit, allowing Prasarana to remain focused on operating an efficient public transport system.
He said integrating housing with MRT and LRT stations would reduce commuting costs, improve accessibility and generate better commercial returns from government-owned land.
The prime minister also expressed confidence that the Selangor government and local authorities would cooperate in facilitating the proposed developments.
The LRT3 is scheduled to begin operations tomorrow, with Anwar announcing free fares for both the train and feeder bus services for one month.
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