Sunway Construction bags $137.4m contract for Johor Bahru - Singapore RTS Link

Johar Bahru, Malaysia (Urban Transport News): Malaysia Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) has awarded a civil contract worth US$ 137.4 million (Ringgits 604.9 million) to Sunway Construction for the construction of stations and structures on the cross-border Johor Bahru - Singapore RTS Link between Johor Bahru in Malaysia and Woodlands in Singapore.

"The contract is for the construction and completion of Package 1B, covering advance works for stations and viaducts, and Package 5, covering terrestrial viaducts and ancillary structures. The contract runs for a period of 26 months, with completion expected in the second quarter of 2025," said Sunway Construction Group.

Back in November 2020 and January 2021, groundbreaking ceremonies were held to launch construction of the 4km RTS Link in Malaysia and Singapore respectively. The Johor Bahru - Singapore RTS Link is being designed, built, financed and maintained by a joint venture of Malaysia’s Prasarana and Singapore’s SMRT under a 30-year concession agreement.

The Johor Bahru - Singapore RTS Link, which will be equipped for ATO at GoA4, will run for 2.7km in Malaysian territory, where it will begin at Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru, and for 1.3km in Singapore territory, where it will terminate at Woodlands North station and will have an interchange with the Thomson-East Coast Line. The line will cross the Strait of Johor on a 25m-high bridge and passengers will be able to clear customs and immigrations requirements for both countries at their point of departure. The line will have capacity to transport 10,000 passengers per hour per direction. 

The line was originally envisaged as a heavy rail line sharing trains and equipment with the Thomson-East Coast Line, but this policy has subsequently been changed to the adoption of a light rail system using four-car LRVs to be manufactured by CRRC.