JOHOR BARU: Johor hopes to kick off the elevated Automated Rapid Transit (elevated ART) project in the third quarter of the year, says state executive councillor Lee Ting Han.
The state investment, trade, consumer affairs and human resources committee chairman said the Johor government has been pursuing the matter for the past two years.
“This includes talks with the Transport Ministry and Ukas (Public Private Partnership Unit) about the design and track alignment.
“Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi had also presented the project and its implementation to Ukas last week.
“We hope that the request for proposal (RFP) and other processes can begin this month in order for the project to kick off by the third quarter of the year,” he told reporters after launching the Jualan Rahmah Madani programme at the Perling wet market here on Thursday (March 13).
Lee, when asked to comment on the impact of an elevated ART on Johor’s economy, said that an efficient public transportation system will benefit the rakyat and the state as it helps to save time and ease the movement of people and goods across various sectors.
He added that the elevated ART is a long-term solution to Johor Baru’s traffic congestion woes, which is expected to get worse once the Rapid Transit System Link (RTS Link), which links the city with Singapore through rail, begins operating on Jan 1, 2027.
“Once the RTS Link is complete, it is set to transport about 20,000 people in and out of Johor Baru within an hour so there is a need for the elevated ART to begin operations, along with other public transportations, to tackle the issue,” he said.
On March 9, Onn Hafiz reportedly said that an efficient public transportation system in Johor Baru is no longer a luxury but a necessity.
The Mentri Besar added that one of the primary proposals raised was the acceleration of the elevated ART system, which is set to serve three key corridors namely Skudai, Tebrau and Iskandar Puteri.
“Considering factors such as cost, implementation timeline and current demand, the RFP for the system is scheduled to be launched this month,” added Onn Hafiz.
Last month, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the elevated ART was the preferred option for Johor Baru over a Light Rail Transit, which would take longer to construct.
The elevated ART was proposed by the Johor government last year to disperse traffic in the city centre as the ongoing RTS Link project is set to bring in huge numbers of people once it is completed.
