Operating model of Singapore-KL high speed rail a top priority: Josephine Teo

SINGAPORE — The operating model of the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur high speed rail is the top priority to work on moving forward, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo today (May 16).

She was responding to questions from the media on the sidelines of the opening of a new healthcare support centre for diabetes and cancer patients by TOUCH Community Services.

Mrs Teo said Singapore and Malaysia have identified important areas that have to be sorted out. Part of that is also the project’s financing model, which Mrs Teo stressed must be sustainable.

Noting that the project is a long-term investment, she said thought has to be put into how the high speed rail will operate “long into the future”.

Certain assumptions like how many people would potentially use the high speed rail and at what frequency will also have to be made.

“These assumptions obviously, at the early stages are not easy to make. With time, it’ll become more accurate in the way in which you make the estimation, but you have to make a start,” said Mrs Teo.

“So the principles have to be laid down and in this regard we have to work very closely with our Malaysian counterparts. But we’re off to a good start.”

With regard to the engineering design of the high speed rail, Mrs Teo said from the point of view of land-scarce Singapore, it makes sense to put most of the rail underground.

But she also stressed that an open-mind must be kept. Mrs Teo noted that underground facilities are also challenging - both in terms of construction and operation - as well as more costly. “We’ll also have to weigh the benefits and costs of doing so,” said Mrs Teo.

Authorities had earlier announced that Singapore’s terminus would be located at Jurong East and most of the line built underground. CHANNEL NEWSASIA