KUALA LUMPUR (March 15): The Rapid Transit System (RTS) project is currently almost 10% complete, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

He said the land acquisition process has been completed and the infrastructure design has also been finalised while earthworks, utility diversion as well as piling works were underway.

“The Ministry of Transport is giving full attention to the implementation of these mega projects,” he said when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address on behalf of his ministry at Dewan Rakyat on Monday (March 14).

The RTS link is a four-kilometre long cross-border rail project connecting the Singapore terminal at Woodlands North station to the Malaysian terminal at Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru.

It will have the capacity to serve a total of 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction.

On the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project, Wee said the ministry was tasked to hold discussions with the Singapore government under new terms, adding that the discussion was still in the early stages.

He explained that the ministry was preparing to hold initial discussions with Singapore in the second quarter of this year.

“In line with the Prime Minister’s visit to Thailand on Feb 25, the ministry is also exploring possibilities of conducting an HSR feasibility study from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok,” he said.

Meanwhile, on the progress of the Gemas-Johor Bahru Railway Electrified Double-Tracking project, he said the physical progress was currently at 82.5%, admitting that there was a delay due to Covid-19.

“For the Electric Train Service (ETS) project for the Gemas-Johor Bahru line, the ministry is in the process of finalising the Final Design Review, which is expected to be completed by the end of March and the procurement of the ETS set is expected to be completed in September 2024,” he said.

Source: EdgeProp, March 14, 2022