JOHOR BARU: The details of the Gemas to Johor Baru electrified double-track rail project have been finalised.
Johor Public Works, Rural and Regional Development Committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the details, including the locations of the rail bridges, have been finalised and agreed upon by the local authorities.
When completed, it will take around 90min to cover the 192km from Gemas to Johor Baru.
The work to be done on the RM9.4bil project includes (building or widening) 29 bridges across roads, 59 bridges across rivers and 11 pedestrian crossings.
Hasni explained that the project was delayed due to the various suggestions given at townhall meetings involving five local authorities.
“The details have been finalised. It took time because there were many suggestions by the local authorities,” Hasni said after the project’s groundbreaking ceremony here on Tuesday.
Currently, about 150 qualified contractors have registered in the Johor Centre for Construction Development to tender for the Gemas-Johor Baru double-track rail project.
Under the agreement, around 50% of the contract value will be given to local contractors.
When pressed on the allocation of Johorean contractors, Hasni said “100% of the 50% should go to Johorean contractors.”
The China contractors that will handle this project are China Railway Construction Corp, China Railway Engineering Corp and China Communication Construction Consortium Sdn Bhd.
The fare for a trip from Gemas to Johor Baru is likely to be around RM30, according to an executive involved in the project who did not want to disclose his name.
