Southern Integrated Gateway
3964094
224561808
2008-07-09T12:37:07Z
Aiman abmajid
448921
[[Image:Southern Integrated Gateway Construction.jpg|right|thumb|Construction of the road leading to highway]]
The '''Southern Integrated Gateway''' (Malay: ''Gerbang Selatan Bersepadu''), is a [[Malaysia]]n [[Malaysian National Projects|national project]] involving the [[construction]] of the [[Johor Bahru]] main [[railway station]] and a new [[customs]], [[immigration]] and [[quarantine]] complex (CIQ) at the [[Malaysia-Singapore Border]]. The station and complex will become the main [[transportation]] hub of Johor Bahru and southern [[Peninsular Malaysia]]. The [[Malaysian Public Works Department]] is responsible for the design and construction of this project, while Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd is the main contractor. This megaproject is part of the [[Iskandar Malaysia]]. It was announced in February 2008 that the constructions has been completed government agencies has started moving into the complex. It is expected that the complex will be opened to light vehicles and be fully operational by [[1 May]] [[2008]]<ref>[http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/NewsBreak/20080211155443/Article/index_html Bukit Chagar CIQ to start operations in May]</ref>.
==Benefits of the project==
The project seeks to improve the traffic flow within [[Daerah Sentral Johor Bahru|Johor Bahru Central Business District]]. Besides that, the regional road network will be enhanced by the linking of CIQ complex to the [[North-South Expressway, Malaysia|North-South Expressway]] via the Johor Bahru Inner Ring Road. The project will also improve the transportation link between Johor Bahru and [[Singapore]], which is urgently needed.
This project would also attract Singaporean tourists to Johor Bahru and the rest of Johor because of the improved transportation link which increases convenience and decreases travelling time.
This project will also complement the country's aspiration of creating a premier and modern southern gateway to Malaysia and Asia.
The Southern Integrated Gateway is expected to reduce air pollution of the Johor Bahru city area.
A significant reduction in sea travelling time from the eastern part to the western part of the [[Straits of Johor]] and vice-versa will indirectly promote security control at the border. This benefit is doubtful at the present because the bridge project has been stopped.
== History ==
===Events===
*end of 2002: The new CIQ complex is proposed.
*early of 2003: The Lumba Kuda flats and other structures including Kampung Ungku Mohsin and Bukit Cagar recreational park are demolished.
*[[14 February]] [[2003]]: The Southern Integrated Gateway is officially launched by the then Malaysian prime minister, Tun Dr [[Mahathir Mohammad]].
*[[2 December]] [[2003]]: Construction of CIQ complex begins.
*[[10 March]] [[2006]]: The pilings for the new scenic bridge are completed.
*[[12 April]] [[2006]]: The construction of the new Tanjung Puteri road bridge replacing Malaysian side of causeway was cancelled.
*[[26 April]] [[2006]]: The RM250mil eight-lane straight elevated permanent link from Causeway to the new CIQ complex in Bukit Chagar has been proposed by the Ministry of Works and Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd.
*[[30 July]] [[2006]]: The new [[Johor Bahru]] [[maglev train|maglev]] [[monorail]] transit system is being planned by Johor State Government. It will connect JB Sentral to Tebrau City in the east and JB Sentral to Skudai in the west.
*September 2006: The route for heavy vehicles from/to Singapore to/from the old Tanjung Puteri Customs Complex will be closed to all heavy vehicles to make away for the construction of the eight-lane straight elevated permanent link. [http://www.gerbangperdana.com.my/portals/gp06//gallery/20070118/20070118_07.jpg See image here]
*[[18 January]] [[2007]] – The construction of the short term access (STA) temporary road has begun.
*[[1 June]] - [[30 June]] – Beam launching works for Tanjung Puteri Bridge (part of Short Term Access (STA)).
*[[1 July]] [[2007]] – The new Custom, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex building has been occupied by the user departments.
===Upcoming events===
*2008 – The new Custom, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex building will be opened for light vehicles.
*2009 – The eight-lane straight elevated permanent link to the new CIQ complex will be opened to traffic.
== Main components of Southern Integrated Gateway ==
===Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex===
The Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex will be the largest of its kind in Malaysia, when it is completed. Located at Bukit Cagar (formerly known as the site of Lumba Kuda flats, Kampung Bukit Cagar and recreation park), it occupies an area of 232,237 square metres. Comparison has been made to [[Kuala Lumpur International Airport]] and [[Singapore Changi Airport]], which are also major entry points to Malaysia and Singapore, respectively.
====Immigration Checkpoint====
The immigration checkpoint will consist of different checkpoints for motorcycles and cars. There will also be different counters for those entering Malaysia and those exiting Malaysia. 78 counters are planned for cars entering Malaysia while 39 counters will be designated to those departing from Malaysia. 50 counters each are also planned for motorcycles entering and departing from Malaysia.
====Customs Checkpoint====
At the customs checkpoint, 36 counters will be designated for cars (20 for those arriving in Malaysia and 16 for those leaving the country) and 25 for motorcycles (17 for arrivals and 8 for departures).
====PLUS Berhad Toll Charges====
Due to the hefty cost involved for the project which include compensation of RM 200 million to main-contractor Gerbang Perdana, sources indicate that the toll charges to traffic (per trip) from would be charged as following: </br>
Motorcycles: RM3.50 </br>
Vehicles (3-4 Wheels): RM7.10 </br>
Trucks, Vans, Commercial Vehicles: RM28.30
=====Only Electronic Toll Transaction at new CIQ=====
The new Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at Bukit Chagar will be opening soon, according to the [[Malaysian Highway Authority]] (MHA).
All toll transactions at the new CIQ complex will be conducted electronically.
As such, the public passing though the CIQ complex are required to make their toll payments via [[Touch 'n Go]] cards at all the 39 lanes which are made available to cater for private cars, taxis and buses.
However, lorry drivers can still pay their toll at the existing Tanjung Puteri Complex until further notice.
The move to implement only electronic toll transaction at the new CIQ complex is part of the Government’s strategies to urge the public to migrate to electronic toll transaction which is much easier and more efficient apart from smoothen the traffic flow at the CIQ complex.
The new CIQ complex is situated approximately 2 kilometres from the current complex at the [[Johor Causeway]]. The complex is equipped with a customer service centre and reload lanes which operate daily to enable the public to purchase, reload or check their Touch ‘n Go cards prepaid balance.
An additional customer service centre will also be made available at the old CIQ complex.
===JB Sentral===
Johor Bahru Sentral (JB Sentral) will be the new transport hub in Johor Bahru, similar to [[KL Sentral]] in Kuala Lumpur. The total build-up area of JB Sentral will be 79,000 square metres, almost 2 times larger than KL Sentral (42,000sqm) in terms of built-up. It will house a [[Keretapi Tanah Melayu|KTM]] railway station and a bus station, which occupies an area of 9500 square metres. The bus station is expected to handle approximately 15000 bus passengers per hour, to reduce traffic congestion on the 20 year-old Larkin Terminal Station. There will be 2,000 parking spaces allocated at JB Sentral.
A pedestrian bridge connects JB Sentral to [[Johor Bahru City Square]] and Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (Tun Abdul Razak Complex).
Transportation chief advisor, Dato Ong Seng Yon (Masai) has announced that an LRT system will be constructed around year 2015 to include JB Sentral as its main terminal. The project is expected to complete by end of 2019. The system would be known as RAPID JB (RAngkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Johor Bahru). It will consists of 2 lines known as: </br>
1)'''Tebrau Line'''</br>
Stations: JB Sentral-> Wadihana-> DangaCityMall-> Jln Abiad (Century Garden) ->Plaza Pelangi->Crystal Crown->PublicBank Taman Sentosa-> Mutiara Motors-> Kampung Melayu Baru-> Jln Kempas-> Kilang Yeos-> Taman Molek-> Taman Johor Jaya-> Carrefour-> AEON Tebrau City
<br />
2)'''Skudai Line'''</br>
Stations: Plaza Pelangi-> Holiday Plaza-> Terminal Bas Larkin-> Taman Tasek-> Teluk Danga-> Bandar Baru UDA-> Jln Camar 5 (Taman Perling) -> BestMart (Taman Nusa Bestari) -> Plaza Tasek (Taman Ungku Tun Aminah)</br><br />
A proposed shuttle express (similar to KLIA Express but smaller scale) linking Senai International Airport and Larkin Terminal Station via Taman Perling and Skudai Baru is still under talks with the ministers.<br />
There are also plans to link the Johor Monorail straight to [[Kranji]] or [[Woodlands, Singapore|Woodlands]] in Singapore. While early reports indicate the possibility of involvement by Singapore's [[SMRT Corporation]][http://www.jeffooi.com/2006/12/singapore_inches_in.php], SMRT denied this subsequently.
===Links to other roads===
The RM250mil eight-lane straight elevated permanent link on the originally planned flyover bridge will become a main road from [[Johor-Singapore Causeway]] to the new CIQ complex after the cancelling of the Tanjung Puteri road bridge plan on [[12 April]] [[2006]]. The old checkpoint for light vehicles, old Tanjung Puteri Customs Complex for heavy vehicles and old checkpoint bridge will all be demolished under this project. From September 2006, the route for heavy vehicles from/to Singapore to/from the old Tanjung Puteri Customs Complex will be closed to all heavy vehicles to make away for the construction of the eight-lane straight elevated permanent link.
There will be a flyover connecting this project to the [[Johor Bahru Inner Ring Road]] and a new highway, [[JB Eastern Dispersal Link]] {{MES-E|14}} which links the Southern Integrated Gateway to the interchange of [[North-South Expressway Southern Route]] {{MES-E|2}} near Pandan.
The construction of the new Permas Jaya second bridge commenced in 2008
==Future Occupants of the CIQ complex and JB Sentral ==
This is a list of future occupants of the CIQ complex and JB Sentral.
*[[Department of Immigration Malaysia]]
*[[Royal Customs Department Malaysia]]
*[[Road Transport Department]]
*[[PLUS Expressway Berhad]]
*[[Royal Malaysian Police]]
*[[Keretapi Tanah Melayu]]
*[[Veterinary Service Department]]
*[[Ministry of Home Security Affairs]]
*[[Malaysian Timber Industrial Board]]
*[[Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority]]
*[[Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority]]
*[[Johor's State Land and Mines Office]]
*[[Perhilitan]]
*[[Johor's State Agriculture Department]]
*[[Malaysian Health Department]]
*[[Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru]] (MBJB)
*[[Tourism Malaysia]]
==See also==
* [[Johor-Singapore Causeway]]
* [[South Johor Economic Region]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://gsb.jkr.gov.my/en/index.html Southern Integrated Gateway]
* [http://www.gerbangperdana.com.my Gerbang Perdana]
{{South Johor Economic Region}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Johor Bahru]]
[[Category:Johor Bahru]]
[[Category:South Johor Economic Region]]
[[Category:Transport in Malaysia]]
[[ms:Gerbang Selatan Bersepadu]]