Perak eyeing LRT for Ipoh city

A light rail transit (LRT) system for Ipoh city is on the Perak government’s development radar to create a more modern transportation hub and overcome traffic congestion in the future.

State Housing, Tourism and Local Government Committee chairman Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi said for starters, a transportation hub around the Ipoh Railway Station will be developed for this purpose.

“It involves an area of 60 hectares. However, the cost and development period of the transportation hub are still being studied,” she said after officiating the Publicity and Public Participation Programme for the Ipoh City Local Plan Draft 2035 and launch of the Greater Ipoh Tourism Region Action Plan and Branding today.

Also present were Ipoh mayor Rumaizi Baharin and deputy director-general (planning) of the Federal Department of Town and Country Planning, Mohd Faidzal Hamzah.

Nolee said the city’s integrated transportation system would be boosted by rapid transit buses, a tram, ordinary buses and taxis, besides the LRT.

“We will make this transportation hub more efficient and modern as in Ipoh, many still need to use their own vehicles compared to public transport to move around.

“The public transport system will be improved not only for the convenience of residents but also visitors tourists. It will also solve the traffic congestion problem in the future and boost real estate development,” she added.

Nolee also said that the protection and conservation of the mountains and limestone hills around the city were among the main focus areas of the draft plan which has 107 projects involving 256 actions drawn up to improve the city.

On the Greater Ipoh Tourism Region Action Plan and Branding, she said the proposals include boosting Ipoh city as a hipster tourism hub, Batu Gajah as a health tourism hub, promoting the “Eco Adventure Capital” of Gopeng and revitalising the royal town of Kuala Kangsar.

She said the action plan involved the administration of four local authorities, namely Ipoh City Council, Kuala Kangsar Municipal Council, Kampar District Council and Batu Gajah District Council.

“The action plan is a combination of the existing tourism products that need to be promoted and the new products introduced that can be promoted by the four local authorities together as a major tourism destination in the country,” she said.