BSR ready to invest on Yellow Line extension, but will not pay for MRT’s loss of commuters
BTS Group Holdings (BTS) has written to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) to state that the BSR Joint Venture is ready to invest in the construction of the 2.6-kilometre Ratchada-Lat Phrao extension to the elevated Yellow Line.
Surapong Laoha-Unya, executive director of BTS Group Holdings, said BSR will also spend approximately Bt3 billion to link the Yellow and Green MRTA lines.
“BSR is ready to invest in this project because the study results were approved by the committee for land-traffic system management and already added in the rail-transport system development master plan,” he said.
“BSR still maintains the offer to share revenue with MRTA if the number of commuters using the Yellow Line rises.”
Surapong said the Bangkok Expressway and Metro (BEM) has complained that the MRTA Yellow Line extension will take commuters away from the MRT.
“However, we cannot compensate BEM if the MRT loses commuters. Hence, we have decided to invest in this project on our own and are ready to share revenue with the MRTA. So, it depends on MRTA if it wants to accept this offer,” he said.
He added that the plan to extend the MRTA Yellow Line should be studied before the service opens in 2021. “If the construction is not completed in time, we may have to cancel the offer,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pakapong Sirikantaramas, MRTA governor, said the agency was still waiting for BSR and BEM to decide on whether the Yellow Line extension will go ahead.
"According to our study, the number of commuters using the MRT Blue Line will drop by approximately 6,000 people per day once the MRTA Yellow Line starts running," he said.
