It was very interesting to read the opinion by Azlan Abdul Karim, CEO of Putrajaya Holdings, regarding the need for improved rail transportation within Putrajaya.

At first glance, one might think that rail transportation would not even be necessary within Putrajaya. We might assume that with its wide roads, scenic boulevards and small population, there could hardly be traffic congestion within Putrajaya.

Actually, traffic congestion should not be the only reason to invest in rail transportation. Investing in rail transportation makes sense because rail is cheaper, faster, more efficient and more environmentally-friendly than building more roads and expressways.

Many people would ask, does Putrajaya need a monorail network today? The answer is ‘no’. Putrajaya does not need the monorail network today. What Putrajaya does need is better incentives to use the existing public transportation system.

The current fares for KLIA Transit (for example, RM9.50 for a single trip from KL Sentral to Putrajaya Sentral) are far too high to encourage people to take KLIA Transit to travel to Putrajaya. Bus services to Putrajaya and inside Putrajaya are offered by RapidKL and Nadi Putra (and other operators) but these services are poorly organised and not frequent enough. Taxi services seem to focus on the tourist market only.

Cheaper fares on KLIA Transit, better, more frequent bus services from Nadi Putra and RapidKL, and a reliable taxi service would probably be enough to meet Putrajaya's current public transportation needs.

But if we only look at Putrajaya and we only look at current needs, we are making a huge mistake. Putrajaya may not need its own monorail network or LRT connection for many years. However, the Klang Valley desperately needs a complete rail transport network. One missing link in this network is a north-south rapid transit line, from Gombak through KL and down towards Bandar Kinrara.

This line has already been proposed and gazetted in the Selangor 2020 Structural Plan. The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and Federal Territories Ministry and Prasarana should start development of this line now. The first phase can be built to service Kuala Lumpur, while future extensions can be linked to Gombak in the north and Kinrara in the south. Ultimately this line could be extended to reach Putrajaya.

What is needed today is an improved strategy to encourage people throughout the Klang Valley to make use of existing public transport services. Simple investment in service will make a huge difference. Having buses that run on time, bus drivers who are polite to passengers and enough trains and buses to provide good, frequent service will not cost a lot of money but it will make a huge difference.

For Putrajaya specifically, improved bus service from RapidKL and Nadi Putra and cheaper fares on the KLIA Transit express train should definitely be put in place. This will help to build up demand for public transportation in Putrajaya. Using 'small-scale' rapid transit such as Bus Rapid Transit and Rapid Tram services, is an easy way to build up demand for public transportation and justify the construction of extensive MRT and LRT networks.