Johor to activate contra lanes for Xmas, New Year

KULAI: All contra lanes at the two land checkpoints in Johor will be activated in anticipation of the high volume of vehicles from Singapore during Christmas and New Year.

State works, transportation and infrastructure committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said it is hoped that the activation of the contra lanes at both Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) will help mitigate the situation.

“This is to help minimise congestion from the island republic,” he said when met after officiating the handing-over ceremony of ‘S’ bend project on route FT001 at KM38-40 along Jalan Johor Baru to Air Hitam here yesterday.

The Bukit Pasir assemblyman added that they had tested the contra lanes during Deepavali and the method proved to be effective in easing congestion at both checkpoints in Johor.

“The contra route will be activated during peak hours, which is when there are many vehicles from Singapore entering Malaysia while the number of vehicles leaving Malaysia is small.

“So, the exit route can be used as a contra route which will allow us to accommodate the influx of vehicles from Singapore,” he said.

Mohamad Fazli said the state government had requested enforcement agencies such as the police and Road Transport Department (JPJ) to control traffic flow around BSI and KSAB.

“We also expect roads around BSI and the Johor Baru city area to be congested during the period due to heavy presence of vehicles and the ongoing construction of Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, which has led to certain roads being closed off.

“Besides the police and JPJ, we have also requested Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) to deploy their enforcement unit to help manage traffic around the city area,” he said.

According to the Immigration Department, there are a total of 236 entry and exit counters at BSI CIQ consisting of 100 motorcycle, 60 car, 36 bus and 40 autogate counters.

At KSAB, there are 162 entry and exit counters with 50 motorcycle, 48 car, 52 bus and 12 autogate counters.

On Tuesday, Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said travellers who plan to enter Malaysia by car should expect to wait up to three hours for immigration clearance.

ICA said it expects very heavy traffic at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints until the end of the year and during the long weekends around Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Even before the long weekends, traffic flow at both land checkpoints has already exceeded pre-Covid-19 levels.

During the Dec 15 to 17 weekend, more than 1.3 million travellers passed through the checkpoints.