Cable theft on the elevated MRT lines in Klang Valley is posing a significant security challenge, causing operational disruptions and safety concerns. Thieves are exploiting the viaducts' structural design to access and steal cables, leading to revenue losses and service interruptions. Prasarana is implementing measures to mitigate the issue.
The hidden infrastructure of Klang Valley 's MRT system, specifically the elevated viaducts of the Kajang and Putrajaya Lines, is facing a significant security challenge: cable theft . This illicit activity is exploiting the hollow structural sections of the viaducts, transforming them into pathways for intruders and posing considerable threats to the operational efficiency and safety of the rail network.
The design of these elevated structures, while providing efficient transport, inadvertently creates vulnerabilities that are being actively targeted by criminals. Intruders are able to move largely undetected along the rail lines, using the viaducts as temporary hideouts, effectively circumventing ground-level security measures and conventional surveillance systems. The proximity of the viaducts to various public infrastructure elements, such as highways, pedestrian walkways, and billboards, further exacerbates this issue. These structures provide easy access points near high-traffic zones, allowing individuals to approach and scale the reinforced concrete with relative ease. Moreover, the presence of hillside terrain and dense vegetation in certain areas offers natural cover, limiting visibility and hindering routine monitoring efforts by authorities.\Cable thieves have evolved their methods, now targeting elevated cables by gaining access through the viaducts and concrete piers. This shift poses new challenges for Prasarana, the operator of the MRT system, which previously focused on protecting ground-level tracks. The extent of the MRT lines, with the Kajang Line spanning 48km and featuring 1,394 piers, and the Putrajaya Line extending 68km with 1,265 piers, complicates the efforts to fully prevent these thefts. Thieves employ various methods, including the use of collapsible ladders, ropes, and cutting tools, to reach the viaducts, using low piers, hillside terrain, adjacent structures, and ground-level access points to gain entry. Data from 2025 indicates a significant portion, 43%, of cable thefts involved access via T-piers and viaducts. The consequences of these cable thefts are significant, leading to revenue losses, network-wide service disruptions, and escalating recovery costs. The removal of cables can cause operational disruptions, including the interruption of services and extended manual management of train operations. Prasarana's health, safety, security, environment, and sustainable development officer has outlined the severity of the problem and the actions taken to address it. These include efforts to secure viaduct access points at nearly all MRT stations and the deployment of solar-powered closed-circuit television CCTV systems in high-risk areas.\The impact of cable theft extends beyond mere operational inconvenience. The theft of power and signalling cables can severely impact train operations. When signalling cables are severed, operators lose the ability to accurately track train positions. This loss of information necessitates either halting operations or switching to manual control, which demands considerable effort and resources. The entire system is built with safety mechanisms that allow for safe train operations, which could be compromised in a situation that involves cable theft. The loss of power can cause trains to stop unexpectedly and create unsafe conditions. In 2025, cable theft caused 17 operational disruptions across the MRT Kajang, Putrajaya, and LRT Kelana Jaya Lines. Moreover, the Phileo Damansara station on the MRT Kajang Line experienced the highest number of cable thefts in its surrounding area. The need for constant vigilance and proactive measures is thus paramount to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the public transportation network
Cable Theft MRT Viaducts Klang Valley Prasarana
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