SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia held a ceremony at the Causeway on Thursday (Jul 30) to mark the official resumption of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project.
The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his counterpart Mr Muhyiddin Yassin, said a joint statement issued by Singapore and Malaysia. This was the first time the two leaders met in person since Mr Muhyiddin was appointed in March.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAt the ceremony, Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung and his Malaysian counterpart Wee Ka Siong marked the resumption of the project.
Three key agreements necessary to resume the RTS Link project have been successfully concluded, said the joint statement. This includes an agreement to amend the RTS Link Bilateral Agreement between the governments of Singapore and Malaysia.
Additionally, a joint venture agreement between Singapore’s SMRT RTS Pte Ltd and Malaysia’s Prasarana RTS Operations Sdn Bhd to constitute RTS Operations Pte Ltd as well as a concession agreement for the Government of Malaysia and the Land Transport Authority of Singapore to appoint RTS Operations Pte Ltd as the operating company (OpCo) for the first 30-year concession period, were also concluded.
"The RTS Link will continue to feature co-location of customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) facilities so that passengers undergo CIQ clearance only once at their point of departure," the joint statement added.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that the RTS Link stations will be well integrated with the local transport networks in each country. The fare levels will continue to be set by the operating company (OpCo), and will be determined closer to the date of passenger service commencement."
[h=3]READ: Singapore 'optimistic' RTS Link project discussions can be concluded by Jul 31 deadline, says MOT[/h]PASSENGER SERVICES TO START END-2026
The statement also said that both sides have discussed and agreed on key changes to the project.
The targeted passenger service commencement will be deferred from end-2024 as originally targeted to end-2026.
Furthermore, the RTS Link will now be a standalone Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, instead of the leveraging the Thomson-East Coast Line MRT system, the statement said. The project's capacity remains unchanged at up to 10,000 passengers per hour per direction.
Additionally, the depot for the project will be switched from the existing Thomson-East Coast Line Mandai depot to a new depot in Wadi Hana, Johor Bahru.
Earlier this month, Dr Wee said construction for the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link is expected to begin immediately after the necessary approvals are acquired in January 2021.
He added that the construction will happen in two phases. The development and civil phase will take place from 2021 to end of 2024, while the commissioning and testing phase will take place from 2025 until the end of 2026.
Artist’s impression of the RTS Link Woodlands North Station. (Image: LTA)
The RTS Link aims to connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru to Woodlands in Singapore, serving about 10,000 passengers per hour each way to help ease traffic congestion on the Causeway.
It was meant to be completed in 2024, but work on the project has been suspended.
The suspension has been extended three times at Malaysia's request, with the latest extension until Jul 31 due to Singapore's COVID-19 "circuit breaker" measures and Malaysia's movement control order.
However, both sides have been in intensive discussions on the project over the last six months to conclude negotiations by the Jul 31 deadline.
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The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his counterpart Mr Muhyiddin Yassin, said a joint statement issued by Singapore and Malaysia. This was the first time the two leaders met in person since Mr Muhyiddin was appointed in March.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAt the ceremony, Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung and his Malaysian counterpart Wee Ka Siong marked the resumption of the project.
Three key agreements necessary to resume the RTS Link project have been successfully concluded, said the joint statement. This includes an agreement to amend the RTS Link Bilateral Agreement between the governments of Singapore and Malaysia.
Additionally, a joint venture agreement between Singapore’s SMRT RTS Pte Ltd and Malaysia’s Prasarana RTS Operations Sdn Bhd to constitute RTS Operations Pte Ltd as well as a concession agreement for the Government of Malaysia and the Land Transport Authority of Singapore to appoint RTS Operations Pte Ltd as the operating company (OpCo) for the first 30-year concession period, were also concluded.
"The RTS Link will continue to feature co-location of customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) facilities so that passengers undergo CIQ clearance only once at their point of departure," the joint statement added.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that the RTS Link stations will be well integrated with the local transport networks in each country. The fare levels will continue to be set by the operating company (OpCo), and will be determined closer to the date of passenger service commencement."
[h=3]READ: Singapore 'optimistic' RTS Link project discussions can be concluded by Jul 31 deadline, says MOT[/h]PASSENGER SERVICES TO START END-2026
The statement also said that both sides have discussed and agreed on key changes to the project.
The targeted passenger service commencement will be deferred from end-2024 as originally targeted to end-2026.
Furthermore, the RTS Link will now be a standalone Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, instead of the leveraging the Thomson-East Coast Line MRT system, the statement said. The project's capacity remains unchanged at up to 10,000 passengers per hour per direction.
Additionally, the depot for the project will be switched from the existing Thomson-East Coast Line Mandai depot to a new depot in Wadi Hana, Johor Bahru.
Earlier this month, Dr Wee said construction for the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link is expected to begin immediately after the necessary approvals are acquired in January 2021.
He added that the construction will happen in two phases. The development and civil phase will take place from 2021 to end of 2024, while the commissioning and testing phase will take place from 2025 until the end of 2026.
The RTS Link aims to connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru to Woodlands in Singapore, serving about 10,000 passengers per hour each way to help ease traffic congestion on the Causeway.
It was meant to be completed in 2024, but work on the project has been suspended.
The suspension has been extended three times at Malaysia's request, with the latest extension until Jul 31 due to Singapore's COVID-19 "circuit breaker" measures and Malaysia's movement control order.
However, both sides have been in intensive discussions on the project over the last six months to conclude negotiations by the Jul 31 deadline.
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