JOHOR BARU: The cargo-only Pasir Gudang–Kempas Baru railway line will soon be upgraded to accommodate passenger services, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said the new service is expected to be available to the public within six to 12 months.
"Previously, this track was only used for cargo, but we have discussed with Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) about introducing passenger services as well.
"This is a high-population area with the potential to attract many passengers.
"As a start, we plan to use KTMB’s existing rolling stock to provide the service," he told a press conference here on Friday (May 9).
Loke was speaking after the reopening ceremony of the Pasir Gudang–Kempas Baru track at the Pasir Gudang KTMB station.
He added that the ministry is identifying suitable locations along the 40km stretch to build passenger stations.
"Currently, there are no stations along this line.
"So, we are looking at setting up simple but functional stops to allow passengers to board and alight safely.
"These will not be fancy stations, but they must be safe and practical for passengers," he said.
Earlier, Loke launched the reopening of the railway line, which had been closed for six months for upgrading works.
He said that the RM55mil project was initially expected to take 24 months to complete.
"However, by making the difficult decision to temporarily halt operations for six months, we were able to accelerate the project.
"This allowed us to complete the upgrades earlier, tripling the line’s cargo capacity and easing congestion in the area," he said.
More To Come
