THE construction of the Gemas-Johor Bahru electric double-track rail project is 92% complete, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

He said the project is expected to be complete by 2025.

“This whole project … has been delayed many times, especially due to Covid-19, but now it’s on track.

“We hope this project can be completed as soon as possible so it can connect Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur and all the way to Padang Besar,” he told a press conference after witnessing the signing of the memorandum of understanding on the strategic cooperation for the construction of the Kluang Heritage Railway Linear Park at Tunku Ibrahim Ismail hall today.

Also present was Johor Works, Transport and Infrastructure Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh.

The electric double-track project covers 192km and 11 stations. Once completed, trains can cover the KL Sentral-JB Sentral route in 3.5 hours at 140kph.

The MOU between Railway Assets Corporation (RAC), the Kluang Municipal Council (KMC), SIPP-YTL JV and Think City Sdn Bhd was for the development of the Kluang Heritage Railway Linear Park, which included a recreational park that will be built under the railway viaduct here.

Loke said the construction of the park was gazetted in the KMC Local Plan 2030, which intends to change the landscape of the surrounding area, thus creating a green network and supporting low-carbon development.

“I will have an audience soon with Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar to get His Majesty’s consent to name the project after him,” he said. – Bernama, September 7, 2023.