Sg Segget River restoration project a game-changer for JB

By Sharen Kaur
Published in NST, September 1, 2016

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sungai Segget rejuvenation project, which is part of the RM20 billion plan to transform Johor Baru's old city into a world-class metropolis, is a game-changer.
 
  Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) chief executive officer Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said the project would transform the river and the adjacent Jalan Wong Ah Fook into a vibrant area.
 
  He told the New Straits Times that it would also make Johor Baru a sustainable city by providing economic activities, lifestyle and amenities that were in line with the Johor Baru City Council, Irda and Iskandar Malaysia's vision.
 
  The estimated cost to rejuvenate the 1.3km-long and 25m-wide river is RM240 million.
 
  The project is similar to the Cheonggyecheon river restoration in Seoul, South Korea, which underwent a 386 billion won (RM1.38 billion) facelift in 2003.
 
  An elevated highway over the polluted Cheonggyecheon river was demolished and replaced with a 5.76km restored stream with parallel roadways, improving the area's environment and beauty.
 
  The restoration process had provided huge boosts to local biodiversity and catalysed the city's economic development.
 
  Ismail said the works at Sungai Segget, which was once a busy trading port, was vital for the city's future.
 
  The project started more than a year ago and consists of two packages. Package 1 involves the development of the Sungai Segget Integrated Water Treatment Plant while Package 2 is to develop a mitigation and sewerage system.
 
  Ismail said the final stage of the project would be carried out under Package 3. Package 3 involves the beautification of Sungai Segget and upgrading of Jalan Wong Ah Fook.
 
  "Once completed, Sungai Segget and Jalan Wong Ah Fook will turn into the new green lung in Johor Baru city centre," he said.
 
  Ismail said to ensure that Sungai Segget was well maintained, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) would be set up.
 
  "This SPV is required for the maintenance of facilities to ensure that the river system meets the objective of being clean and flood-free.
 
  "The SPV may involve the state government and Irda. Nonetheless, it is still in its initial stage. Once everything is ready, an announcement on this will be made," he said.

'MRT Line 3 may cost RM50b'

By Sharen Kaur
Published in NST, August 15

KUALA LUMPUR: THE mass rapid transit (MRT) Line 3, which will loop around the city, may cost at least RM50 billion as a large portion would be underground, say sources.
 
  They said the MRT Line 3 might cover a distance of between 45km and 48km, or longer depending on the final alignment.
 
  "We know that more than 50 per cent of Line 3 will be built underground because it is in the city centre. It could involve 35km of underground tunnelling and that would cost RM35 billion.
 
  "Underground portions are more expensive than at-grade transit lines or elevated guideways. For every 1km of the MRT Line that is built underground with stations and all, the cost is about RM1 billion," sources told Business Times.
 
  The other parts of Line 3 will be either at-grade or have elevated guideways and the cost per kilometre for the latter could be between RM300 million and RM400 million.
 
  "We also need to include the train sets to serve the line. So roughly we are looking at about RM50 billion in construction cost for Line 3," said the source, adding that the new line was expected to have between 25 and 28 stations.
 
  The MRT project, the country's largest infrastructure development, comprises three lines that will serve as the backbone of the integrated public transport network for the Klang Valley.
 
  They first two are the Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) Line 1 and Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) Line 2.
 
  The underground portion of the SBK Line cost RM8.3 billion for 9.5km, while the SSP underground line cost RM15.47 billion for 13.5km.
 
  Overall, the construction cost for the SBK Line is RM23 billion while for the SSP Line, it is expected to be RM30 billion.
 
  The source said Line 3, also known as the Circle Line, was in the final planning and evaluation stage.
 
  Line 3 is expected to cover the hotspots surrounding Ampang Jaya, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Tun Razak Exchange, Bandar Malaysia, KL Ecocity, Pusat Bandar Damansara, Mont Kiara and Sentul.
 
  On Friday, Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar said the company expected to submit the study on Line 3 to the government by year-end.
 
  "We started the feasibility study early this year and we will present it to the Land Public Transport Commission (by year-end)," he said after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Bhd and MRT Corp.

Maglev trains for JB region by 2019

By sharen kaur
Published in NST on Sept 1, 2016

KUALA LUMPUR: A PRIVATE company is proposing to build a mass rapid transit (MRT) system in Johor using magnetic levitation, or Maglev technology.
 
  Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar told the New Straits Times in an interview recently that a company was studying the possibility of setting up the Maglev MRT project.
 
  The sultan said the project, which was not related to the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) system, would link Johor Baru, Pasir Gudang, Kempas, Iskandar Puteri and other areas around the state capital.
 
  He said the company was also looking at the proposal to extend the services to Singapore in view of the daily congestion on the Causeway.
 
  The Maglev trains in Johor would be a breakthrough for the country.
 
  Currently, the Federal Government is constructing two MRT lines in the Klang Valley - Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK Line) and Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP Line) - using standard-gauge trains.  
 
  The difference between Maglev and standard-gauge train is that a Maglev train does not have wheels - it uses a strong electromagnetic force to lift and propel it forward.
 
  Unlike standard-gauge trains, there is no friction between the wheels and tracks in Maglev trains, therefore, reducing wear and tear.
 
  While Maglev trains are more expensive, their characteristics and infrastructure requirements make them easier for expansion of service when passenger demand grows, without having to build huge trains and stations. This allows savings on cost of implementation and land acquisition.
 
  Meanwhile, sources close to the Johor company said the proposed Maglev line in Johor was expected to use low-speed trains due to the short length of the proposed tracks, which was slightly more than 100km.  
 
  The sources said the MRT project would link Johor Baru city centre to Kulai, Ulu Tiram, Pasir Gudang and Iskandar Puteri, and the company had obtained the exclusive right to do a feasibility study.
 
  "The exclusive right was given by the Johor State Economic Planning Unit (UPAC) a few months ago after a presentation by the company."
 
  The sources said the company would be embarking on the study soon, which it expected to complete in six months. The study report would be submitted within the first-half of next year.
 
  It is understood that the company planned to finish building the Maglev MRT line in 2019. No estimates were given in terms of construction cost but a project of that scale could easily exceed RM40 billion.
 
  In comparison, the construction cost for the Klang Valley SBK Line, which is 51km long, is RM23 billion while the SSP Line, which is 52.2km in length, is RM32 billion.
 
  The Maglev MRT project will greatly benefit Johor as the state population is expected to increase with infrastructure development and housing projects.
 
  Sources said the line would integrate with the HSR project in Iskandar Puteri, and also the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd train services at JB Sentral.