Why did LRT3 project costs surge from RM9b to RM31.65b?

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Persistent Design Alterations Drove LRT3 Project Costs to RM31.65 Billion

The cost of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 3 project escalated significantly to RM31.65 billion from its initial RM9 billion estimate primarily due to continuous modifications to the original design specifications by Prasarana Malaysia Berhad. These alterations, amounting to at least 22 changes and issues within the tender documents' Employers Requirements, impacted various components of the project, leading to substantial cost overruns.
Numerous Design Changes Requested by Prasarana

A review of the project documents revealed a series of design adjustments initiated by Prasarana. Key among these were requests to extend the length of the trains from 109 metres to 114 metres, necessitating the use of six-car train sets. Concurrently, station lengths were increased to 125 metres, and the dimensions of maintenance buildings at the depot and stabling yards were also expanded.
Alignment and Platform Modifications Caused Delays

Further complicating the design process, there were persistent changes to the project's alignment even after the designated alignment freeze date in April 2016. Additionally, Prasarana requested a conceptual shift from side platforms to island platforms, a change proposed during a workshop in April 2016, which further impeded the progress of the preliminary design phase.
Variations in Capacity and Technical Specifications

The project scope also saw variations in other critical areas. The number of parking lots was increased from an initial 5,000 to 6,000, which adversely affected the preliminary design. A change from four-car train sets to six-car train sets required a 50% increase in the number of manufactured cars within the same timeframe and consequently impacted the signalling and communications specifications.
Signalling Changes Necessitated Infrastructure Adjustments

Changes to the signalling specifications were particularly impactful, introducing the requirement for a separate uninterruptible power supply room. This new demand directly affected the station layout design and necessitated revisions to the tender drawings, adding another layer of complexity and cost to the LRT3 project.

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Why did LRT3 project costs surge from RM9b to RM31.65b?

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