JOHOR BARU, May 11 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link would be "life-changing” for families in both countries, pledging to make it his priority to ensure the project proceeded on time.

In a maiden joint visit of the project today with Singaporean counterpart, S. Iswaran, Loke said construction was proceeding at a satisfactory rate and on track to start operations by end 2026, in line with the bilateral agreement signed in 2018.

Loke said most of the target milestones have been achieved, and as of April 30, the overall progress of the railway infrastructure was 36 per cent.

"For the marine viaduct portion, where we are visiting today, the actual progress is 30 per cent where construction has started on the ground.

"We are on track to meet the target milestones,” said Loke in a joint press conference with Iswaran after a RTS Link site visit in Stulang Laut here today.

Loke explained that from the beginning, the government knew that the project would be challenging.

"Unexpected, historic events occurred one after another within a short period of time. The government changed, Covid-19 pandemic, then government changed again.

"However, the project is still on track and Malaysia remains fully committed to the delivery of RTS Link,” he said.

Meanwhile, Iswaran commended the progress on the project, and said construction on his country’s side passed the 45-per cent mark in March, with work on the foundations for the viaduct piers set to be completed by the first quarter of 2024.

"We (Singapore) look forward to be ready and on time for commencing passenger services by the end of 2026,” he said.

Earlier, both ministers held a bilateral meeting at Menara JLand here today and discussed, among other things, the resumption the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project and enhancing the transportation connectivity via sea and land between both countries.

Loke earlier raised the possibility of a ferry service and additional KTM Tebrau shuttle services.

The RTS Link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru to Woodlands in Singapore, serving about 10,000 passengers per hour each way.

It aims to ease the current traffic congestion on the Johor Causeway.

The RTS Link will connect to a viaduct 25 metre above the Tebrau Straits, bridging the Woodlands North station in Singapore to the Bukit Chagar station in Johor Baru.