Month-Long Upgrade at JB Checkpoint: Bus Zone Counters Temporarily Closed
Following a recent power outage at the JB checkpoint, more changes are on the horizon with planned upgrading works at the checkpoint.
The bus zone counters at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) across the Causeway in Johor Bahru (JB) are set to undergo extensive upgrading soon.
The most significant challenge?
The entire process is expected to take a month to complete.
The work is scheduled to commence from 15 Dec this week and is anticipated to conclude by 15 Jan next year.
In contrast to the delayed announcement of the power outage, BSI’s communication department proactively announced the closure of the checkpoint through a Facebook post yesterday (12 Dec).
The post aimed to inform the public well in advance to minimise any inconvenience.
To further reduce disruption, the upgrading works will initially focus on the departure area of the bus zone.
This means that individuals travelling from JB will be the first to experience the impact of these changes.
The upgrades at the departure area will be implemented in three distinct phases.
During the first phase, starting on 15 Dec, the MDAC counter, e-gates 01 to 03, and manual counters 01 to 04 will be closed.
The second phase, commencing on 21 Dec, will see the closure of six e-gates (01-06) and eight manual counters (11 to 18).
Finally, in the third phase, beginning on 28 Dec, 10 manual counters (03 to 12) will be closed.
While the exact ending dates for each phase have not been specified, it is understood that all work in the departure area will be completed by 28 Dec.
This will be just in time for the upgrading works of the arrival area to begin.
The upgrading works for the arrival area are scheduled to start on 28 Dec.
The first phase will commence on this date, followed by the second phase on 3 Jan, and the third phase on 9 Jan.
All works in the arrival area are expected to be completed by 15 Jan.
The closure plan for the counters in the arrival area mirrors that of the departure area.
In the interim, those wishing to travel to JB have the option of using the 1-Way Trip Train or braving the traffic jam at the causeway in a car, while hoping for no further power outages.
On a brighter note, travelling back to Singapore is currently priced at only RM5, offering a more affordable return journey despite the inconvenience caused by the upgrading works.