SINGAPORE: The rail link between Johor Baru and Woodlands in Singapore will be a reality by 2024 with the signing of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) agreement here Tuesday.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong at the prime minister's office, the Istana, here.
Malaysia was represented by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan while Singapore was represented by its Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan.
The RTS, which was first mooted in 2010 during a leaders' retreat as part of an effort to increase connectivity links, will also see the start of the High Speed Rail (HSR) between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in 2026.
The RTS is a four-kilometre shuttle that will connect public transport services in Johor Baru and Singapore.
It will have a capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, which translates to an additional 60,000 commuters crossing the Causeway during peak hours.
To facilitate passenger flow, it will have co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities in both Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North.
Passengers travelling in either direction will clear both Malaysia and Singapore immigration authorities at the point of departure and need not go through immigration clearance again at the point of arrival.
At a joint press conference, Lee said the RTS is an important long-term cross-border project and would reduce Causeway congestion.
On the HSR, Lee reiterated that with strong international interest in the project, the procurement would be done in a fair, open and transparent manner.
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