JOHOR BARU, Oct 26 — The number of commuters going through the country’s entry points via the Banguan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex and Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ (KSAB) Complex is expected to increase threefold tomorrow due to the Deepavali holidays.

Johor Immigration director Baharuddin Tahir said people from Singapore and Malaysia would be taking the opportunity to travel with their families.

"The number of travellers going through BSI on a normal day will usually be 250,000; while the number of cars between 40,000 and 50,000; motorcycles (70,000) and trucks or buses (3,000 to 5,000),” he said.

As for KSAB, he said some 180,000 visitors would use the route, with number of cars  20,000 to 25,000; motorcycles (40,000 to 50,000) and trucks or buses (2,000).

"But for this long weekend, we expect the number of visitors and vehicles to triple. Passenger traffic which had been building up in the past two days will end this Monday (October 28),” he said when met by Bernama at BSI today.

As such Baharuddin said to prevent any extraordinary traffic congestion during the period, the department had taken several initiatives including freezing the leave of all immigration personnel working at both complexes.

He said the staff would be working on shifts where 250 personnel would be assigned per shift at the BSI while at KSAB 130 to 140 personnel would be deployed on each shift.

"They will be taking care of over 350 counters opened for bus, lorry, car and motorcycle lanes at both the entry points.

"In addition, we will be opening contraflow lanes at the KSAB to facilitate the Singapore crowd entering Malaysia as 12 additional counters will be opened,” he said.

As Traffic Coordinator chief at both the CIQ complexes, Baharuddin said he would announce on traffic updates and advise drivers on travel routes through social media from time to time. — Bernama