KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 – Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) said on Thursday that the number of land lots to be acquired in the federal capital for the MRT3 Circle Line has been reduced by more than 31%, following extensive public consultation.
The number of land parcels required for the project has been cut from 1,012 to 690, said the agency — formerly known as Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd — in a statement.
The reduction, it said, aims to minimise disruption to communities along the alignment, alongside adjustments to the placement of stations and viaducts and improvements to the overall rail system design.
“The land acquisition process can now commence and is targeted for completion by the end of 2026,” the statement read. “MRT Corp will be reaching out to the affected communities and updating them on the improvements made in their respective areas.”
The final alignment comes after a public inspection exercise held from September 2 to December 2 last year, during which the agency received more than 45,000 written responses. MRT Corp noted that 93.3% of the feedback expressed support for the project.
On Thursday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke approved the final railway scheme for the MRT3 Circle Line, according to MRT Corp.
Its chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim extended his appreciation to federal and Selangor state lawmakers, resident associations and business groups for their collaboration and consultation, which he said had contributed to the strong public endorsement.
The MRT3 Circle Line — a 51km orbital route that forms the final piece of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) network — will circle Kuala Lumpur and integrate with existing MRT, LRT, KTM and Monorail lines via 10 interchange and connecting stations. The line will include 31 stations, with 40km of elevated track and 11km of underground track.
The MRT3 project was originally shelved in 2018 by the Pakatan Harapan government as part of fiscal consolidation efforts, but was revived in 2021 under the Perikatan Nasional administration. The revived project features a longer alignment and a different elevated-to-underground track ratio compared with the initial 2017 version.
Earlier this year, Zarif said MRT Corp was exploring alternative funding models, including public-private partnerships, for future infrastructure undertakings including the MRT3 project.
The initiative aligns with the government’s latest fiscal strategy, as outlined in Budget 2025, to defer new mega infrastructure projects and prioritise essential works that deliver broad economic and social value.
