Johor MB confident Rapid Transit System project linking JB to Singapore will start in November.

Johor Baru-Singapore transit project will boost economy, says MB

GELANG PATAH: Work on the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) project is expected to start in November, says Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad.

Malaysia and Singapore, he said, would be signing the agreement on the project, which will link Johor Baru with Woodlands North in the city state, at the end of the month.

“The long-awaited RTS project will boost Johor’s economy as it will create economic spillover, especially in Iskandar Malaysia,” he told reporters during a site visit to the 7.5km two-lane, two-way Sungai Pulai bridge, which costs about RM700mil, here yesterday.

Hasni said the depot for the maintenance of the train coaches would be built at a site in Wadihana in Johor Baru instead of Mandai in Singapore as per the initial plan.

He said the train depot, which spans an area of 2.83ha, would create between 400 and 500 jobs for Malaysians.

On another matter, Hasni said that work on the Gemas-Johor Baru electric double tracking train project was progressing well at 48% to date.

He said land acquisition issues for the multi-billion ringgit project, which included relocating squatters along the railway track, had already been resolved.

“The project is slated to be completed by 2022,” said Hasni.

On the Sungai Pulai bridge, MMC Engineering Sdn Bhd is the main contractor for the project in a joint venture with CHEC Construction (M) Sdn Bhd.

The bridge, scheduled for completion in October next year, will cut travel time from Pontian to Johor Baru from an hour now to about 15 minutes.