JOHOR BARU, Nov 9 — The Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) project, that will link the state capital to Woodlands, is set to be virtually launched on November 22 in conjunction with the birthday of Johori Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.
Earlier today, Sultan Ibrahim was briefed on the project by Malaysia Rapid Transit System Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim at the Mados office in Istana Bukit Pelangi here.
A post of the visit and briefing was posted on Sultan Ibrahim’s official Facebook page.
At the meeting, Mohd Zarif updated Sultan Ibrahim on the RTS project, following its inclusion in the Budget 2021, which was tabled last Friday.
“During the briefing, we touched on the project’s launch, which will be done on-line, as well as the final designs for the station.
“We expect to begin work on the site towards the last week of November after the iofficial launch,” Mohd Zarif was quoted by the Johor Royal Press Office in the post.
Present at the meeting was Johor Land and Mines director, Datuk Mohammed Ridha Abd Kadir and Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) mayor Datuk Adib Azhari Daud.
In the post, Sultan Ibrahim had also consented to MRT Corp for organising a competition to obtain input and ideas from the public on the design of the station’s building facade.
The long-awaited RTS project, connecting Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru to Woodlands in Singapore, will see about 10,000 passengers per hour each way to help ease traffic congestion on the Johor Causeway.
The project was meant to be completed in 2024, but work has been suspended several times.
The suspension has been extended three times at Malaysia’s request, with the latest extension on July 31 due to the movement control order (MCO) and Singapore’s “circuit breaker” measures to safeguard against the Covid-19 pandemic.
