Tempers Flare Over Thaipusam Overcrowding Delays At Ktm Stations

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The large crowd of Thaipusam devotees at a KTM station last night. (KTM Bhd Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: Frustration is running high and tempers are flaring due to overcrowding and delays at KTM stations this Thaipusam.
Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple committee chairman R Nadarajah said the overwhelming response to Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd’s (KTMB) offer of free train services and its convenience for devotees heading to the Batu Caves temple have led to a chaotic situation at several stations.
“Because the services are free, the crowds are a lot bigger this year.
“The trains and stations are overcrowded and there is a lot of frustration,” he told FMT, urging KTMB to implement crowd management measures as soon as possible.
Nadarajah was reported last week as saying the temple expected over 1.8 million devotees and visitors during Thaipusam this year.
Last week, transport minister Loke Siew Fook said additional KTM Komuter services would operate around the clock from Feb 9-12, and the free services are available on Feb 10 and 11.
Selangor Parti Bangsa Malaysia information chief Kebir Singh also criticised KTMB’s handling of the situation, calling the 24-hour operations a “complete disaster”.
Kebir said he waited over an hour for a train at the Kajang station last night, only to find it too crowded to board.
“By the time the train arrived, it was so crowded that nearly 80% of passengers at the Kajang station, including my wife and I, were unable to board.
“I checked the schedule again, only to find that the next train would take another hour to arrive. Frustrated and disappointed, I was left with no choice but to seek alternative transport,” he told FMT.
Kebir urged the government to take immediate responsibility for its failure to increase the frequency of trains and called for better crowd management, additional trains and real-time monitoring in the future.
“Public transport is a necessity, not a luxury. It must serve the people efficiently, especially during major religious events like Thaipusam, when people are forced to resort to public transport to escape the jam,” he said.
Passenger R Thivashini, 29, also recounted her ordeal last night at the Sentul KTM station, where she waited from 9.45pm until 10.20pm without a train in sight.
“A backup train finally arrived at 10.30pm, but by then the crowd was just unbearable,” she told FMT.
Thaipusam, one of the largest Hindu festivals in Malaysia, sees devotees and tourists flock to Batu Caves every year to witness the vibrant processions and rituals.
In a Facebook post, KTMB acknowledged the challenges faced by commuters during the peak of Thaipusam celebrations, and said additional measures had been taken to manage the surge in passengers.
The national rail service said four extra train sets were added to the KL Sentral–Batu Caves–KL Sentral route to ensure smoother traffic for devotees heading to Batu Caves.
“However, passengers experienced significant delays, particularly at KL Sentral Station, where trains were overcrowded and unable to accommodate everyone. Many commuters were forced to wait for the next train, which departed only once every hour,” it said.
KTM added that during the 24-hour non-stop service, trains operated on an hourly schedule. - FMT

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