Upcoming Upgrades at JB Checkpoint: Revised Schedule and Impact on Travel
Following a recent power outage at the JB checkpoint, further changes are on the horizon with the upcoming upgrading works planned for the checkpoint.
The bus zone counters at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) across the Causeway in Johor Bahru (JB) are slated for extensive upgrading soon.
Does the start of this article sound familiar?
Indeed, the long-awaited deferment of the upgrading works for the bus counters at the JB Checkpoint has now been confirmed.
The comprehensive upgrading work will commence on 16 January this year, with completion set for 7 February.
The Initial Plan Deferred Due to School Holidays
Originally, the work was scheduled to begin on 15 Dec 2023 and was expected to conclude by 15 Jan this year.
The initial plan for the upgrading work was structured in three phases:
Phase 1, planned to start on 15 Dec 2023, would have impacted e-gate counters 1 to 3 and manual counters 1 to 4.
Phase 2, set to commence on 21 Dec 2023, would have affected e-gate counters 1 to 6 and manual counters 11 to 18.
Phase 3, scheduled for 28 Dec 2023, would have involved only manual counters numbered 3 to 12.
The announcement came during the school holidays, a time when travel volume typically increases.
On 14 Dec 2023, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, through a Facebook post, requested that the upgrading works be postponed until after the school holidays.
The year-end Malaysian school holidays began on 16 Dec 2023 and ended on 1 Jan this year.
Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi was widely praised for his prompt response to defer the upgrading works.
New Plan! But Wait…
Under the revised schedule, the bus counter upgrading works will now start on 16 Jan this year and end on 7 Feb.
In a Facebook post by the Johor Immigration Department (JIM), these new dates were announced, with an appeal for travellers’ understanding and a reminder to not cut the queue.
But if the dates were deferred due to school holidays, what about the impact on Chinese New Year (CNY)?
This year, CNY starts on 10 February.
The travel volumes during the CNY period, traditionally a time for visiting relatives and more, are expected to be significant.
This year, maybe it’s no longer about how long the jam is, but whether people can even make it over to JB and vice versa
Well, at least you know if you have a car, you can try the contra-flow lanes.
Malaysia had previously announced that from 1 Jan 2024, foreign travellers would need to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) prior to entering Malaysia.
Exceptions have been made for Singaporeans, diplomatic passport holders, Malaysian permanent residents, Brunei General Certificate of Identity holders, and Thailand Border Pass holders.
The closure of the newly introduced MDAC counter could pose a significant inconvenience.
So, what are your plans for CNY?