KUALA LUMPUR: Kluang is poised to become Johor's logistics hub with the development of several major infrastructure projects, including the Gemas-Johor Bahru Electrified Double Track project (Gemas-JB EDTP), the PLUS highway expansion, and the upgrading of federal roads.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said that these projects will create new business and employment opportunities in Kluang and surrounding areas.
"I am confident that it (the logistics hub) will give a new impetus to Kluang district and other areas in Johor," he said recently, as reported by Bernama.
He also announced plans for a 2.1 km bypass from Taman Muhibah to Layang, with a RM60 million allocation, aimed at reducing congestion in Kluang and easing traffic flow for 30,000 vehicles daily.
Onn Hafiz said that the state government has been seeking funding for this bypass over the past two years, and it is expected to be approved this year.
"This will be a 'game changer' to reduce congestion (in Kluang). Road users will no longer need to enter the city centre with the access of a shortcut," he said.
The Gemas-JB EDTP, a key driver for economic development in Johor's core region, is 97 per cent complete as of June 27, 2024.
According to a June statement by SIPP-YTL JV, the local contractor responsible for developing the project, 28 million safe man-hours have been achieved, setting a benchmark for rail construction safety in Malaysia.
This milestone, recorded from September 2020 to May 2024, highlights the project's success in maintaining safety standards and achieving the target of 28 million safe man-hours without any accidents.
The Gemas-JB EDTP is a 192-kilometer electrified train service project covering four major districts in Johor, namely Segamat, Kluang, Kulai, and Johor Bahru, with a total cost of RM8.9 billion, as announced by the government in December 2016.
SIPP-YTL JV was appointed by the Ministry of Transport Malaysia.
Meanwhile, state public works, transport, infrastructure, and communications committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh announced that Kluang received a RM122 million allocation for maintenance works, including those in the Mahkota State Assembly.
This allocation includes RM26 million for state road maintenance, RM32 million for local authority road maintenance, RM59 million for federal road maintenance, and RM2 million for traffic and street light maintenance.