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Straits Times
30-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Final market study being done to determine JB-S'pore RTS Link fares: M'sian transport minister
Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow (right) and his Malaysian counterpart Anthony Loke speaking at SRTC on June 30. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM SINGAPORE - The operator of the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is in the midst of conducting a final market study to determine the fares for the cross-border rail link, and a decision on the price of a ride will be made closer to the start of operations. Malaysia's Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Singapore's Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said this to reporters on June 30 after the unveiling of the first of eight trains that will serve the light rail line when it opens at the end of 2026. Mr Loke said RTS Operations (RTSO) – a joint venture between Singapore transport operator SMRT and Malaysian public transport firm Prasarana – will determine the fares of the 4km rail link. 'Of course, we hope that the right price mechanism is in place to ensure that we can encourage more people to use the RTS Link,' he added. 'The whole idea of this project is to make the modal shift, to ensure that more people use public transport to cross the Causeway. So I think that is one of the important considerations,' Mr Loke said. Mr Siow said the RTS Link fare has to be determined commercially, and RTSO will need to take into account demand and supply, as well as the alternative transport options , such as cross-border public buses, and how much they cost. He added: 'We'll have to leave it to (RTSO) to figure it out, and I think they will do that probably closer to the service commencement.' Regarding what a fair price would be , Mr Loke later said that the fare must be less than what it costs for passengers to use their own means of transport. 'For example, if a worker lives farther away and rides a motorcycle across the Causeway to come to Singapore, he may have to pay for fuel and other costs... If the RTS fare is lower than his expenses, it will definitely encourage him to use the RTS,' Mr Loke added. 'In the end, this is a huge expense, a huge investment for us,' he said. 'Both governments have invested a lot of money in this project, so we must meet that goal.' Asked whether the RTS Link's operating hours would be adjusted to suit the travel patterns of Malaysians who travel to Singapore for work, Mr Loke said that some leave their homes as early as 5am and this is something that RTSO will need to take into account. RTSO has said that trains on the line will run from 6am to midnight daily. Mr Loke also said that Malaysia and Singapore are pushing for an open payment system with multiple ways to pay for an RTS Link ride , adding that this is a trend for public transport operators worldwide. Meanwhile, Mr Siow was asked whether the opening of the RTS Link will have an impact on other transport modes, including the reduction of cross-border public bus frequencies. To this, he said the intent of the rail link is to create more mobility, and there are no immediate plans to adjust bus schedules. The event on June 30 was the first time that Mr Siow in his capacity as Acting Minister had met Mr Loke and Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi. Mr Siow said the RTS Link is dear to his heart, as he was part of the joint conceptualisation at the early stages of the project. 'We needed the right opportunity and the leadership to see it through, and we have that today. And it is almost surreal to me to see the RTS Link emerge out of the agreement that we signed eight years ago,' he said. He added: 'I, and many Singaporeans and Malaysians, look forward to the continued close cooperation between both sides and the successful delivery of the project.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
India Today
21-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Evacuated from Iran, stranded in Punjab: Bus carrying Indians breaks down 5 times
In an embarrassing turn for the Jammu and Kashmir government, a bus transporting students evacuated from war-hit Iran has broken down five times en route to Srinagar. After an exhausting journey that ended in Delhi, the students are now stranded on the Pathankot highway for over two hours due to repeated mechanical bus is carrying 14 girls who had already travelled more than 2,000 km by road in Iran. After reaching Delhi by flight, they were supposed to reach Kashmir safely. But the repeated breakdowns caused serious difficulties and students who were evacuated from conflict-hit Iran had criticised the Jammu and Kashmir government for poor travel arrangements from Delhi to their hometowns. They, however, thanked the central government for the rescue operation. Disappointed with the condition of the bus, the students said they had expected better treatment after going through days of fear and hardship in Iran. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association shared a video on X showing the condition of the bus."After enduring a harrowing four-day journey from Iran via Armenia and Doha, Kashmiri students have reached Delhi, only to be dumped in SRTC buses, unlike students from other states who were received with proper airport facilitation, care, and connecting flights home," the association response to the backlash, the office of then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said it had "taken note" of the students' concerns and was working with the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation to arrange "proper deluxe buses" for their group of students had arrived in Delhi on a flight that carried 110 Indian students from Iran, with 90 of them belonging to Jammu and Kashmir. The flight transited via Armenia and Doha and faced delays before landing in Watch IN THIS STORY#Iran#Jammu and Kashmir
India.com
19-06-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Kashmiri Students Rescued From Conflict-Hit Iran, Praise Centre
It's jubilee time for two medical college friends, Humaira Saadiq and Sheikh Afsa, as they landed safely at Srinagar Airport. They consider themselves lucky to be rescued by the Government of India from war-torn Iran. It took them four days, moving from one city to another, to cross the Iran border into Armenia, from where they were airlifted by an Indian aircraft to return home. Upon arrival in the Kashmir Valley, the Kashmiri students wholeheartedly appreciated the Indian Embassy for arranging transport to the airport and ensuring their security amid the conflict. They also expressed immense gratitude for the coordination of the central government. The leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was praised for their herculean efforts that enabled the students' safe return to India. "I am feeling very good and calm. It was a very hectic journey for us. I feel so relieved to see my parents and be back home. The Government of India made 110 percent efforts to evacuate us. They did everything within their control. We are very thankful to them. We didn't get any sleep; sometimes we didn't even have food or water. But we kept going with the hope of seeing our parents—and we made it. It was a very bad situation. We didn't think we would survive, but we did," Humaira Saadiq said. "I'm relieved to be home. Our families were under so much stress because of us. We kept trying to assure them that we were safe, but as parents, their concern was natural. We are so happy to be with them now and feel very safe. Mentally, we are still distressed by the situation. The last few days were very disturbing. We were terrified after seeing the bombings. The MEA did so much for us," Sheikh Afsa, another student, added. Out of the 94 students who reached India this morning, many flew directly to their homes in Kashmir. For the others, the UT Government arranged buses from Delhi to Kashmir, which are scheduled to reach the valley on June 20. While the evacuation was widely praised, students faced logistical challenges upon arriving in Delhi. The Jammu and Kashmir government arranged State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) buses to transport the students to Srinagar. However, many criticized the poor condition of the buses and the decision to make them travel by road after their traumatic 4-day journey from Iran via Armenia and Doha. Some felt the students were 'dumped' into SRTC buses. The People's Democratic Party (PDP) strongly criticized the government's treatment of the students, calling it a government failure. "It's very unfortunate that our children, who were already traumatized in Iran, were rescued to Delhi—and then completely neglected. The state government should have received and consoled them. Instead, there was no support. The onward journey was in RTC buses when they should have been flown home. The state government is showing insensitivity toward its own children. We are thankful to the central government for the swift evacuation, but we must be more caring towards our children. Mehbooba Mufti is in touch with the MEA, and our only concern is ensuring that all students return safely to Kashmir," the PDP Spokesperson added. The bus issue sparked widespread criticism of the Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government. Even parents expressed dissatisfaction, saying that while they were thankful for the rescue, the state must be better prepared for the next batch of students. Zahoor Ahmed, a parent, said, "We found out about the Iran attacks on Friday. When we saw the intensity, we were extremely worried. The internet there was slow, and communication was difficult. We contacted our local MP, who got in touch with the MEA. We're very thankful for their swift response. We expected the state government to bring our children home by air, not by buses. Their response was very poor." The office of then-Chief Minister Omar Abdullah acknowledged the complaints and said the confusion was due to miscommunication. They clarified that 'proper deluxe buses' had been arranged for the onward journey to Kashmir. Tanveer Saadiq, Chief Spokesperson of the National Conference and MLA, said, "We arranged deluxe buses from Delhi to Srinagar. The parents were extremely distressed. We will continue working until all our students are back from Iran. It was a big challenge for the MEA to bring them from Iran to Armenia due to the difficult terrain." The evacuation of Kashmiri students from Iran was conducted under Operation Sindhu, a significant effort by the Indian Government to ensure the safety of its citizens amid the escalating Iran-Israel conflict. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reported that over 600 Indian students, primarily from Jammu and Kashmir, were relocated to safer areas within Iran, such as Qom, before further evacuation. Additional flights are being planned. The Indian Embassy in Tehran has set up a 24/7 emergency helpline for students still stranded in Iran. As the situation there continues to worsen, families are growing more concerned and are urging the government to speed up evacuation efforts for their children.
India Today
19-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
J&K students evacuated from Iran get shabby buses, Omar Abdullah takes note
Indian students evacuated from conflict-hit Iran have thanked the Centre for their safe return but criticised the poor transport arrangements made by the Jammu and Kashmir government for their onward journey home from by the condition of the buses provided, the students said they expected better facilities after enduring days of tension abroad. In a post on X, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association shared a video showing the poor condition of buses arranged for Iran-returned enduring a harrowing 4-day journey from Iran via Armenia & Doha, Kashmiri students have finally reached Delhi, only to be dumped in SRTC buses, unlike students from other states who were received with proper airport facilitation, care, and connecting flights home," the association said in its post. "Exhausted, distressed, and neglected. is this the reward for their resilience? What's stopping the J&K Govt from stepping up? Logistics? Willpower? Or just apathy? If it's about funds, say it loud, we'll launch a fundraiser for the JK Govt. We've done more with less before, it to the backlash, the office of then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said it had "taken note" of the students' concerns and was working with the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation to arrange "proper deluxe buses" for their travel. advertisement A flight carrying 110 Indian students who were evacuated from Iran, transited via Armenia and Doha, arrived in New Delhi after facing some delays last night. Of the 110 students, 90 were alone from Jammu and Kashmir."Approximately 110 Indian students from Urmia Medical University, including 90 from the Kashmir Valley, and others from different Indian states, successfully crossed the border into Armenia on Tuesday. We have spoken to the students, who safely reached the Armenian capital, Yerevan, and were accommodated at their designated hotels," Nasir Khuehami, convenor of Jammu and Kashmir Students Union is a preferred destination for Kashmiri students due to affordable education and cultural familiarity. Over 4,000 Indian students are currently studying in Iran, nearly half of them from Jammu and Kashmir, pursuing medicine and other professional courses across cities like Tehran, Shiraz, and Azhar, one of the evacuated students, expressed his emotions. Speaking to news agency ANI, he said, "I am very happy. I cannot express in words how happy I am to be finally able to meet my family. The situation in Iran is very bad. The people there are like us; there are small children who are suffering. War is not a good thing. It kills humanity."Amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, India has intensified measures to safeguard its citizens, particularly students. On June 15, the Indian Embassy in Tehran issued an advisory urging Indian nationals and persons of Indian origin to restrict non-essential movement and stay in touch with embassy channels for real-time Watch
