KTMB, RAC TO INTRODUCE PASSENGER SERVICES FOR PASIR GUDANG-KEMPAS BARU LINE

JOHOR BAHRU, May 9 (Bernama) -- Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) and Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) will introduce passenger services on the Pasir Gudang-Kempas Baru line by next year at the latest.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the new service is expected to start within six to 12 months, taking into account the need to build new passenger stations along the line.

"Throughout this year, we can find at least three locations (stations) to drop off and pick up passengers,” he told reporters after officiating the reopening of the track for cargo service operations for the Kempas Baru-Pasir Gudang route, near here today.

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He said the Transport Ministry will carry out studies and discuss with the state government to get suitable locations for the stations.

Loke said that for a start, the passenger services would use existing KTMB coaches and that he would consider purchasing new coaches in the future.

"We want something that can be immediately implemented within a short period. We want this project to be implemented promptly, so we will discuss with the Finance Ministry for approval and use RAC resources to finance this project,” he said.

  Meanwhile, Loke said that the Pasir Gudang-Kempas Baru line has been reopened after being closed since last October for work to upgrade the 39.9-kilometre (km) track, encompassing three main sections, namely Kempas Baru-Seelong, Seelong-Johor Port and Johor Port-Pasir Gudang.

He added that the upgrading work involved repairing railway structures, building new drainage systems, replacing track and gravel and improving the signalling and safety systems, with a total project value of RM55 million.

"With the reopening of the track for the Pasir Gudang-Kempas Baru cargo service operation, KTMB will increase container handling from 140 20-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) per day previously to at least 420 TEUs per day, which is a three-fold increase."

"Previously, KTMB only made two trips a day, but after the reopening, KTMB will have cargo trains making at least six trips daily,” he said.

He said that customers can also increase their container transfer activities not only from the Pasir Gudang Port to the Tanjung Pelepas Port but also to other ports in Peninsular Malaysia, including the Kuantan Port via the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), Port Klang, Penang Port and even out of the country via Thailand and to China.

-- BERNAMA