SINGAPORE has awarded the first civil contract for the construction of the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link.

The first of two such contracts, worth S$932.8 million (RM2.83 billion), went to Penta-Ocean Construction Co Ltd.

“This contract covers the construction of the RTS Link Woodlands North station, tunnels and the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine building in Singapore,” said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on its website today.

LTA said Penta-Ocean Construction had wide-ranging experience in infrastructure and building projects in Singapore.

The company is currently constructing the Bright Hill and Orchard stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), and had previously worked on the TEL Woodlands North station as well as the Downtown Line’s Bendemeer station. 

The construction of the RTS Link was expected to commence in the first quarter of 2021 and passenger service was expected to commence at end-2026, LTA said.

The authority said the second civil contract for this project, which includes the construction of the RTS Link viaduct, will be awarded in the first quarter of 2021. 

The RTS Link is a rail shuttle service between the Singapore terminus at Woodlands North station and the Malaysia terminus at Bukit Chagar station in Johor Baru.

It will support a peak capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

To facilitate a seamless travelling experience, Customs, Immigration and Quarantine facilities will be co-located at the Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar stations.

Passengers will only be required to clear both Singapore and Malaysia immigration authorities once at the point of departure.

Upon arrival in Singapore, passengers can continue their journey into the city state by transferring to the TEL Woodlands North Station.

When operations commence, the RTS Link will improve connectivity between Singapore and Johor Bahru and ease traffic congestion on the Causeway. – Bernama, November 26, 2020.