SINGAPORE: Penta-Ocean Construction has been awarded the first of two civil contracts for the construction of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Thursday (Nov 26).
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The contract, valued at S$932.8 million, covers the construction of the RTS Link Woodlands North station, tunnels and the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) building in Singapore.
Construction for the RTS Link is expected to start in the first quarter of 2021 and passenger service is expected to commence in end 2026, LTA said.
The second civil contract for the project, which includes the construction of the RTS Link viaduct, will be awarded in the first quarter of 2021.
“Penta-Ocean Construction has wide-ranging experience in infrastructure and building projects in Singapore,” said LTA.
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The company is currently constructing the Bright Hill and Orchard stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL). It previously worked on the TEL Woodlands North station and the Downtown Line’s Bendemeer station.
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 Bahru.
It will support a peak capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
“To facilitate a seamless travelling experience, the CIQ facilities will be conveniently co-located at Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar stations,” said LTA.
“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 by transferring to the TEL Woodlands North Station.
“When operations commence, the RTS Link will further improve connectivity between Singapore and Johor Bahru and help ease congestion along the Causeway,” the authority said.
Malaysia began construction for the RTS Link project with a groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday at the site for the Bukit Chagar station.
The groundbreaking event marks a major milestone for Malaysia Rapid Transit System (MRTS), the developer and owner of the civil infrastructure for the Malaysian section of the RTS Link.
-CNA