China Railway To Build Gemas-JB Electrified Double-Tracking Line

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- The Gemas-Johor Baharu (JB) electrified double-tracking project in Malaysia's southern state Johore will be awarded to China's national train operator China Railway, Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said. "We are committed and hope this can speed up the project. "Once the project is completed by 2020, it will complete the whole electrified double-tracking rail network to Padang Besar (in Malaysia's northernmost state Perlis)," he said at the launch of the China High-Speed Railway Exhibition here, Friday. Liow said currently, the country's rail network covered 1,641.4 km, of which 46 per cent was made up of an electrified double-tracking line. The distance will be extended up to 58 per cent upon the completion of the Gemas-JB electrified double-tracking project. The installation of the Gemas-Johor Baharu electrified double-tracking project, starting next year, is expected to cost US$1.64 billion (RM7.13 billion). The 197-km track provides capacity for trains to hit 160km per hour, with an operating speed limit of 140 km per hour. --BERNAMA