RTS Link To Begin Construction In Jan 2021
Back during pre-Covid days, entering Malaysia via the Causeway can be a headache on some days.
On a good day, it may take less than half an hour to clear through immigration, but on bad days, it may take up to a few hours to get from one side to the other.
Hopefully, those long queues and Causeway jams will soon be an issue of the past, as both Singapore and Malaysia have finalised the agreement connecting both countries via a Rapid Transport System (RTS) link.
Bilateral ceremony took place earlier today
The ceremony – which saw both Singapore and Malaysia Prime Ministers in attendance – symbolised the signing of 3 agreements.
They are:
- Bilateral agreement
- Concession agreement
- Joint venture company to operate RTS agreement
S’pore & M’sia Prime Ministers among guests of honour
The ceremony – which took place today (30 Jul) at 10am – saw several guests of honour from both sides, including both Singapore and Malaysia Prime Ministers.
Besides PM Lee, we also saw Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Transport Minister Mr Ong Ye Kung at the ceremony.
Even former Transport Minister Mr Khaw Boon Wan – who had recently been warded for dengue infection – came down for the ceremony.
During the photo taking, PM Lee highlighted to Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin that Mr Khaw – who recently retired – was responsible for most of the work relating to the RTS deal.
Construction for RTS link to start in Jan 2021
Construction for the Singapore-Malaysia RTS link is slated to begin in Jan 2021 and operations will likely begin in late 2026.
This RTS link – which costs around $1.03 billion – will be able to accommodate 10,000 passengers every hour, which should significantly ease traffic on the Causeway.
Although entering Malaysia for leisure activities is not possible at the moment, we can’t wait for the day to experience the new RTS trains in 6 years time.
Featured image adapted from Facebook.
