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KUCHING, July 12: The Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) prototype vehicle is set to arrive in Kuching by August, where it will undergo a two-month engineering run at The Isthmus in September and October to prepare for the proof-of-concept (POC) trial run along a short stretch of the Blue Line on Kuching-Samarahan Expressway in November.
Minister of Transport Datuk Lee Kim Shin emphasised that Sarawak Metro along with the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak as well as other departments and agencies will expedite the construction of part of the ART alignment of the Blue Line to ensure the successful implementation of the November trial run.
“Sarawak Metro is committed to completing Phase 1 of the KUTS (Kuching Urban Transport Sarawak) project as scheduled.
“The cooperative efforts among various implementers working on development projects along the ART alignment will ensure the smooth implementation of projects with the aim to mitigate potential inconveniences for road users on the Kuching-Samarahan Experessway,” he said in a statement today.
Lee had yesterday (July 11) conducted a site inspection in Samarahan to assess the progress of the ART track to ensure the preparation for the POC exercise scheduled for November.
The Stage One of the POC exercise had been conducted in China in February this year.
Meanwhile, Phase 1 of the KUTS project involves the construction of the 27.6km Blue Line, connecting Rembus in Kota Samarahan to Hikmah Exchange in Kuching city centre.
It also includes the development of the 12.3km Red Line (from Kuching Sentral to Pending) and the 30km Green Line (from Pending to Damai Central).
The ART operations under Phase 1 are scheduled to commence in stages from the fourth quarter of 2025 up to the fourth quarter of 2027.
The primary goal of the KUTS project is to alleviate traffic congestion in the Greater Kuching area and provide a reliable, efficient, and modern public transport service for the people.
Central to the project is the implementation of a zero-emission public transport system, with the ART fleet powered by green hydrogen. Complementing the ART service will be a hydrogen-powered feeder bus network, ensuring convenient “first and last-mile connectivity” for commuters.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS) chairman Dato Peter Minos, Acting Resident of Samarahan Division Mohamad Irwan Bahari Bujang, Sarawak Metro chief executive officer Mazli Mustaffa, JKR Samarahan Divisional engineer Indra Sakti Haron, and representatives from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development, Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB)Sarawak, Road Transport Department Sarawak, and Royal Malaysian Police were present. — DayakDaily
