E-ART project to use public-private partnership model

KULAI - The proposed Elevated Autonomous Rapid Transit (E-ART) project aimed at enhancing the public transport system in Johor Bahru will be implemented under the supervision of the Public Private Partnership Unit (UKAS) through a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the project would not be undertaken through the Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) tender procurement process. Instead, it would be carried out under the PPP mechanism approved by the Cabinet, with UKAS responsible for evaluating and coordinating the project.

He said UKAS is currently conducting a final assessment covering technical aspects, pricing and proposals submitted by the parties involved before a letter of award is issued.

"This project falls under UKAS. They are carrying out a detailed evaluation before a final decision is made,” he told reporters after launching the Shuttle Selatan service operations at Kulai KTM railway station here today.

Also present were Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi; state Public Works, Transport and Infrastructure Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh; and Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching.

Loke explained that the E-ART project is a trackless mode of transport that will operate on a dedicated elevated guideway or viaduct, separating it from road traffic.

"ART does not use tracks like a conventional train. Instead, it runs on rubber tyres like a bus and comprises a series of articulated sections to increase passenger capacity,” he said.

He added that the approach would enable a high-capacity transit system to be developed without disrupting existing traffic flow in urban areas.

Earlier, Onn Hafiz in his speech urged the federal government to expedite the implementation of the E-ART project as one of the key solutions to ease traffic congestion in Johor Bahru, particularly when the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link begins operations. - BERNAMA