By: Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH: Persistent traffic congestion outside Ipoh Railway Station, which has been a longstanding issue for years, continues to draw complaints from the public, particularly passengers worried about missing their trains.
The issue was highlighted by a TikTok user, @CutehotelZul, in the comments section of a Peraktastic TikTok post, where he also expressed disappointment over the condition of the station’s facilities and cleanliness.
He said that at about 10pm on November 6, traffic along the entrance leading to the Ipoh Railway Station junction from the Ipoh Town Hall building came to a standstill.
The situation forced many passengers to get out of vehicles dropping them off and walk to the station for fear of missing their trains.
He also urged Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) and the Ipoh City Council (MBI) to hold discussions to find a solution to the problem, which he claimed had persisted for many years.
Apart from traffic congestion, the user also highlighted frequent escalator breakdowns, which make it difficult for senior citizens, particularly those carrying luggage, to access the station’s facilities.
He said that when an Electric Train Service (ETS) train from Kuala Lumpur arrived at Platform 2 at about 12.45am on November 7, the escalator was not functioning.
“The escalator breakdown forced passengers, particularly senior citizens, to use the stairs while carrying their luggage.
“It is disheartening to see elderly passengers struggling to climb up and down the stairs simply because this basic facility is out of service,” he said.
He also claimed that the station’s cleanliness was unsatisfactory, with bird droppings covering the pedestrian bridge floor, while the toilets were dirty and had an unpleasant urine smell.
He urged KTMB’s top management to conduct a site visit to assess the actual situation and take appropriate action.
He said public feedback should not be dismissed as mere criticism but instead be viewed as an opportunity to improve the quality of public services and facilities.
He hoped the issues would not be allowed to persist, stressing that facilities meant to make people’s journeys more convenient should not become a source of inconvenience to passengers.
