Kuching Urban Transportation System

Last updated

Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS)
Sarawak Metro logo.png
KUTS LOGO.png
Official logo
Overview
Native nameSistem Pengangkutan Bandaraya Kuching
OwnerSarawak Metro - Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC)
Locale Kuching, Samarahan and Serian
Transit type Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit - Guided bi-articulated bus
Number of lines3
Number of stations31
Website www.mysarawakmetro.com/kuts
Operation
Operation will start2026;2 years' time (2026) [1]
Operator(s)Sarawak Metro
Technical
System lengthFirst phase: 69.9 km (43 mi)

The Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) is an under-construction Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) system network in Kuching, Malaysia. It is the first metro rail system to be built in the state of Sarawak which was touted as one of the methods to ease traffic congestion in the city of Kuching. [2] The project is to be constructed using state funds provided by the Development Bank of Sarawak (DBOS). [2] [3] [4] The proposed ART lines will connect Kuching to Samarahan and Serian as well as future lines to other parts of Greater Kuching. [5] The Premier of Sarawak, Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg had initially promised to build the first Kuching ART soon to avoid rising costs, [6] with Chinese companies offering their expertise to collaborate in the construction. [7]

Contents

Initial plan - Light Rapid Transit

The proposed construction of a RM10.8 billion Kuching LRT project was expected to commence by 2019 and was scheduled to be operational by 2024. [8] It was proposed that the LRT will use hydrogen fuel cell rolling-stock with a travel speed of 70–140km/h. [9]

The hydrogen fuel cell trains were in line with the state government’s vision to develop a hydrogen economy, as part of its green initiative. Aside from hydrogen-powered trains, Kuching will also be the first city in the country to have hydrogen-powered buses. [10]

Planned routes

On 29 March 2018, the Chief Minister of Sarawak released the routes and stations of three of the six lines with 155.2 kilometers of track [11] to be completed in 2024, while the remaining three lines to be implemented at a later stage. [8] A Government-linked company (GLC) called Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd [12] has been registered to manage the LRT system. [11]

LineOrigin – DestinationLandmark nearby proposed stationsDistance & Stations
  1   Samarahan Line Kota Samarahan to Damai via Sungai Batu,REMBUS, Kota Samarahan, Summer Mall, Aiman Mall, INTAN/SALCRA/UiTM, UNIMAS, Sarawak Heart Centre, La Promenade, Riveria, eMart, PPKS, Wisma Wan, Vivacity, Simpang Tiga, Swinburne, Jalan Tabuan, Jalan Central Timur, Police HQ, Hikmah Exchange, Jalan Hashim Jaafar, Medan Raya, Sarawak Stadium, Hospital Sarawak, Bandar Baru Samariang, Mara, Rampangi, Salak, Sg. Batu, Buntal, Santubong, DAMAI CENTRAL62.4 km, 25 stations.
  2   Serian Line Serian to Senari via Siburan,SOUTH DEPOT, Serian, Pasar Baki, Tapah, Beratok, Duranta, Siburan, Seratau, Beverly Park, JPJ, Kota Padawan, Everwin, Penrissen, Kuching Sentral, Kuching International Airport, BDC, Gala City, City One, Simpang Tiga, JPN, The Spring Shopping Mall, Chung Hua Middle School No. 3, Jalan Tun Razak, SMK Pending, Bintawa, ISTHMUS, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, Demak Laut, Demak Laut Convention Centre, Senari Port, Bako, Muara Tebas, DEEP SEA PORT82 km, 25 stations.
  3   City Dispersal LineKuching CityWaterfront, UTC, Jalan Abell, Padungan, Padungan Central, Three Hills Park, Tanah Putih, Pending, Jalan Tun Salahudin, Darul Hana, Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Medan Raya, Jalan Hashim Jaafar, Hikmah Exchange10.8 km, 13 stations.
Kuching Urban Transportation System
Proposed route for the Kuching Urban Transportation System in 2018.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000001D-QINU`"'
Blue: Samarahan Line
Red: Serian Line

Samarahan Line (Line 1)

Station CodeWorking NamePositionLocal
government
Interchange / Notes
 SM0 Rembus (Provisional)At-grade MPKS Rembus Depot, near to Kampung Rembus
 SM1 UniversitiNear to UNIMAS Pintu Timur, walking distance to The Summer Shopping Mall
 SM2 MelabanConnected with Aiman Mall
 SM3 SigitinNear to Wisma SALCRA, Walking distance to UiTM Samarahan
 SM4  UNIMAS Elevated
 SM5 Heart CentreWalking distance to Sarawak Heart Centre
 SM6 RiveriaWalking distance to La Promenade Mall
 SM7 Stutong MBKS Near to The NorthBank by IBRACO
 SM8 Wan AlwiNear to Tabuan Jaya Police Complex
 SM9 VivaConnected with Vivacity Megamall
 IS1 Simpang TigaNear to Wisma Persekutuan Public Carpark, Interchange station with   2   Serian Line
 SM11 Jalan TabuanConnected with The Spring Shopping Mall
 SM12 Jalan Central Timur DBKU Near to Kuching Public Works Department
 SM13 Jalan BadruddinConnected with Sarawak General Hospital
 SM14 Hikmah ExchangeNear to Padang Pasir, Hikmah Exchange

Serian Line (Line 2)

Station CodeWorking NamePositionLocal
government
Interchange / Notes
 SR1 Batu 12/JPJElevated MPPadawan Batu 12 Depot
 SR2 Kota PadawanNear to 10th Mile Bazaar
 SR3 Penrissen MPKS Near to SMK Wira Penrissen
 SR4  Kota Sentosa MPPadawan Near to Sentosa Parade
 SR5 Kuching Sentral BSicon BUS2.svg MBKS Connected with bus terminal
 SR6  Kuching International Airport BSicon FLUG.svg Connected to airport terminal
 SR7 Pelita HeightNear to RH Plaza
 SR8 Tun JugahNear to Emporium
 SR9 Near to Swinburne University
 IS1 Simpang TigaNear to Wisma Persekutuan Public Carpark, Interchange station with   1   Samarahan Line
 SR10 Jalan Tun RazakNear to Chung Hua Middle School No.3
 SR11  Pending Near to Puspakom
 SR12 BintawaNear to Bintawa Industrial Estate
 SR13 IsthmusAt-grade DBKU Near to Borneo Convention Centre Kuching

Shelving

However, on 1 September 2018, the Chief Minister of Sarawak announced that the project has been placed on hold, citing that the funds allocated to the project will instead be used to build basic amenities for Sarawak's rural areas. [13]

Revised plan - Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART)

A guided bi-articulated buses at Yibin ART T1 line. Yibin ART System 10 12 11 905000.jpeg
A guided bi-articulated buses at Yibin ART T1 line.

In July 2019, the Chief Minister of Sarawak said that the LRT project will be built using artificial intelligence (AI) technology which will remove the need for conventional rails and bringing down the cost of the project. [14]

In September 2019, the government of Sarawak ultimately decided to go with China's Automated Rapid Transit (ART) system than LRT due to its more affordable cost where the state transport minister said it will be ready by 2022. [15] [16] The ART is a type of guided bus running on batteries. In April 2022, Premier Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg disclosed to the Singaporean English daily newspaper, The Straits Times that the ART system will likely consist of 52.6 km of route and is expected to begin construction in the third quarter of the same year, with a projected operational date of 2025. [17]

A prototype of the Kuching ART (guided bi-articulated bus powered by hydrogen) undergoing an engineering run. Sarawak-metro-art-hydrogen01.jpg
A prototype of the Kuching ART (guided bi-articulated bus powered by hydrogen) undergoing an engineering run.

In August 2023, the state received its first hydrogen-powered ART vehicle prototype and will be going through an engineering run for two months until September, where it will then go through a proof-of-concept testing sometime in November. [18]

Planned routes

On 16 December 2022, the Premier of Sarawak released the Phase 1 integrated transit map of the KUTS project with a 69.9 kilometer route consisting of 3 initial rail lines and a total of 31 stations (with 5 provisional stations) to be completed in stages, with the Blue Line scheduled to be completed in 2025 while the remaining lines are to be constructed at a later date. [19]

LineOrigin – DestinationLandmarks of nearby proposed stationsDistance & StationsTo be completed
 1  Blue LineKota Samarahan to Hikmah ExchangeREMBUS, Summer Mall, Aiman Mall, UiTM, SALCRA, Unimas, Sarawak Heart Centre, Riveria, La Promenade Shopping Mall, Stutong, Emart Matang, Wisma Wan, Vivacity Megamall, JPN Kuching, The Spring, Simpang Tiga, Swinburne Sarawak University, Batu Lintang, Kuching Paragon, Sarawak Generak Hospital, Kuching City Mosque, Hikmah Exchange27.6 km, 14 stations.2025
 2  Red LineKuching Sentral to PendingKuching Sentral, Kuching International Airport, Pelita Height, RH Plaza, GalaCity, CityOne Simpang Tiga, JPN Kuching, Jalan Tun Razak, Pending12.3 km, 7 stations.2026
 3  Green LinePending to Damai SentralPending, Bintawa, Darul Hana, Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Menara Pelita, Stadium Sarawak, Yayasan Sarawak, Bandar Baru Samariang, SUNGAI BATU, Santubong, Damai Sentral30 km, 10 stations.2027

Notes

  1. Boldtext denotes that the particular landmark is near the area proposed to be a train depot station.

Operation facts

See also

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References

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