Latest news with #RTS
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
RTS Link achieves major milestone of ICQC structure
JOHOR BARU: The construction of the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project reached a major milestone today with the structural completion of the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine Complex (ICQC) at Bukit Chagar, here. Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT) Corp chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim said the structural completion of the ICQC was marked with a topping-out ceremony by IJM Construction Sdn Bhd (IJM), the appointed contractor for the ICQC package under the project. "This milestone signifies that the project has moved into the next stage, which is the final design fit-out installations alongside the facade installation, which will commence in September 2025," he said in a statement yesterday. He said the ICQC is a critical component of the project and will feature co-located clearance facilities for both Malaysian and Singaporean authorities, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. Mohd Zarif said the topping-out ceremony officiated today reflects the collective determination, professionalism, coordination and technical excellence of IJM Construction, consultants and contractors in delivering a nationally strategic infrastructure and bringing the ICQC to its current stage of development. He said it also stands as a testament to the professionalism, coordination and technical excellence demonstrated by IJM Construction, as well as all consultants and contractors, in bringing the ICQC to its current stage of development. In the meantime, Mohd Zarif said the track installation and structural works for several key components of the RTS Link project, namely the Marine Viaduct, Bukit Chagar Station and Wadi Hana Depot, have been completed, while the interior works at the Wadi Hana Depot are expected to be fully completed by December this year. "Meanwhile, installation of the station's signature roof facade is currently underway at Bukit Chagar Station," he said. At the same time, he said the power supply to the Wadi Hana Depot was successfully energised in June 2025, two months ahead of schedule, through close coordination with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), enabling early preparations for systems testing to begin. "As per the terms of the bilateral agreement, the next key milestone will be the dynamic testing of the RTS train system, scheduled for May 2026. "This critical phase will see the train operating along the full alignment from Wadi Hana Depot through to stations, paving the way for operational validation and readiness," he said. The RTS Link project, scheduled to be completed in December 2026 and begin operations in early 2027, is a four-kilometre commuter rail network connecting Malaysia and Singapore, covering the route between two stations, namely Bukit Chagar here and Woodlands North in Singapore. The rail transport system has a capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, with an expected daily ridership of about 40,000 passengers. – Bernama
Barnama
3 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
RTS Link Achieves Major Milestone With Completion Of ICQC Structure
JOHOR BAHRU, July 28 (Bernama) – The construction of the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project reached a major milestone today with the structural completion of the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine Complex (ICQC) at Bukit Chagar, here. Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT) Corp chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim said the structural completion of the ICQC was marked with a topping-out ceremony by IJM Construction Sdn Bhd (IJM), the appointed contractor for the ICQC package under the project. 'This milestone signifies that the project has moved into the next stage, which is the final design fit-out installations alongside the facade installation, which will commence in September 2025,' he said in a statement. He said the ICQC is a critical component of the project and will feature co-located clearance facilities for both Malaysian and Singaporean authorities, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. Mohd Zarif said the topping-out ceremony officiated today reflects the collective determination, professionalism, coordination and technical excellence of IJM Construction, consultants and contractors in delivering a nationally strategic infrastructure and bringing the ICQC to its current stage of development. He said it also stands as a testament to the professionalism, coordination and technical excellence demonstrated by IJM Construction, as well as all consultants and contractors, in bringing the ICQC to its current stage of development. In the meantime, Mohd Zarif said the track installation and structural works for several key components of the RTS Link project, namely the Marine Viaduct, Bukit Chagar Station and Wadi Hana Depot, have been completed, while the interior works at the Wadi Hana Depot are expected to be fully completed by December this year. 'Meanwhile, installation of the station's signature roof facade is currently underway at Bukit Chagar Station,' he said. At the same time, he said the power supply to the Wadi Hana Depot was successfully energised in June 2025, two months ahead of schedule, through close coordination with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), enabling early preparations for systems testing to begin.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: AdFalciVax and the fight against malaria — What you must-know for UPSC Exam
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your UPSC Current Affairs Knowledge Nugget for today on AdFalciVax and malaria. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has invited the country's vaccine manufacturers to partner with it to launch and sell a malaria vaccine, AdFalciVax, that its Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneshwar, has developed. In this context, let's know about this new vaccine and malaria. 1. AdFalciVax is a chimeric recombinant vaccine — a type of vaccine that uses different parts of the genes of a pathogen (in this case, Plasmodium) to create target proteins that trigger an immune response after being injected. 2. AdFalciVax uses two types of target proteins to prevent the spread of infection in two different ways. ↪ It uses the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) to prevent infection in the person who has been immunised. The CSP is produced during the sporozoite stage (when a parasite can infect a new host) and the liver stage (when a parasite enters liver cells, multiplies, and then infects red blood cells) of the parasite. 'Any immune response generated against these stages protects the immunised person from getting the infection.' Subhash Singh, project manager for development of the vaccine at the ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar told The Indian Express. ↪ The vaccine also uses the Pro6C protein, a fusion of parts of two different proteins — Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 — produced by Plasmodium falciparum. This protein prevents the spread of infection in the community. 3. Researchers have found that AdFalciVax provided more than 90% protection against infection in mice. The candidate vaccine has yet to undergo rigorous human trials, and the preliminary results have been obtained only through testing on animals. 4. The ICMR wants to partner with a company that can further develop its candidate vaccine, carry out human clinical trials, and scale up for commercial production. Although the ICMR will share the technology of developing AdFalciVax with the chosen company, it will continue to hold the intellectual property rights. Any intellectual property rights generated during the collaboration will be held jointly by the ICMR and the company. 5. Notably, AdFalciVax mainly targets two parts of Plasmodium falciparum, a pathogen that is the most common source of malaria in humans. In India, however, the disease is caused by Plasmodium vivax against which AdFalciVax is ineffective. To combat malaria, scientists have been working to develop a vaccine for decades but with limited success. Recently, two vaccines—RTS,S and R21—were approved for use, but their efficacy, at 75%, is quite low. That's why the announcement about ICMR's candidate vaccine has given new hope in the fight against the disease. World Malaria Day is observed every year on 25th April by the World Health Organisation to raise awareness and drive action against malaria. The theme for World Malaria Day 2025 is 'Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite.' 1. Having claimed millions of lives, malaria has been one of the deadliest diseases in human history. Currently, the disease kills about four lakh people annually, according to World Health Organization (WHO) figures. 2. Malaria is a parasitic infection transmitted by mosquitoes, typically causing symptoms such as fever, chills, night sweats, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. In some cases, it can lead to severe complications such as seizures, fluid in the lungs, organ damage, and death. 3. It is most endemic in Africa — Nigeria, Congo, Tanzania, Mozambique, Niger, and Burkina Faso together account for more than half the yearly deaths. 1. India has demonstrated significant progress in reducing malaria cases and associated mortality in the country's high-endemic states, according to the findings of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) 'World Malaria Report 2024′. 2. 'India exited the HBHI [high-burden to high-impact] group officially in 2024 due to significant progress in reducing the malaria incidence and mortality observed in its high-endemic states,' the report observed. 3.'Nationwide, the number of estimated malaria cases in India decreased from 6.4 million in 2017 (the year before the HBHI's introduction) to 2 million cases in 2023 (69 per cent decrease). Similarly, the estimated malaria deaths decreased from 11,100 to 3,500 (68 per cent decrease) during the same period,' it said. 4. The HBHI refers to a targeted WHO initiative aimed at the most acutely malaria-impacted regions of the world, including several countries in Africa. Widespread resistance of malarial parasite to drugs like chloroquine has prompted attempts to develop a malarial vaccine to combat malaria. Why is it difficult to develop an effective malaria vaccine? (UPSC CSE 2010) (a) Malaria is caused by several species of Plasmodium (b) Man does not develop immunity to malaria during natural infection (c) Vaccines can be developed only against bacteria (d) Man is only an intermediate host and not the definitive host (Sources: India registers 'significant progress' in reducing malaria cases: WHO, WHO report says India reduces malaria caseload, deaths by 69% each) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for July 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Govt mandates all rooftop solar inverters under PM scheme to connect to national servers
New Delhi: Rooftop solar inverters installed under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG: MBY) will be required to mandatorily connect to national servers and use machine-to-machine (M2M) SIM-based communication protocol, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has said in a compliance order issued to all stakeholders. The PMSG: MBY scheme targets installation of rooftop solar (RTS) systems in one crore households with a total capacity of 30 gigawatts (GW). The ministry has said integration of such a large number of RTS plants introduces grid stability and cybersecurity challenges , especially due to inverters transmitting data outside India or interacting with third-party servers. 'To ensure secure and reliable data transmission, all inverter communication devices/dongles/data loggers deployed under the scheme shall have Machine-to-Machine (M2M) SIM communication protocol,' MNRE said in the memorandum dated July 21. The ministry added that inverter modules transmitting sensitive data to servers outside India threaten national energy sovereignty and increase the risk of unauthorised control. It further stated that third-party communication could be exploited to manipulate inverter operations, potentially disrupting power generation and grid operations. 'In this regard, multiple rounds of deliberation have been done with major stakeholders to implement a framework to track generation benefits of RTS installations as well as for the centralisation of RTS data on a National Software Platform hosted on servers located in India and managed by MNRE or any other Government Agency,' the ministry said. The MNRE is finalising a vendor-neutral open communication protocol along with security guidelines for data communication to enable real-time monitoring and control of inverters through the National Portal. Integration testing of inverter communication devices will commence from September 1, 2025. 'A separate communication in this regard shall be issued shortly,' the ministry said. Further, all Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) listed for supplying inverters under the scheme 'shall mandatorily connect their inverters directly to National Servers and Software managed by MNRE or any other agency designated by MNRE, with effective from the date to be notified,' it said.
The Star
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Larkin Sentral revamp boosting travel, business confidence, say commuters
COMMUTERS are happy with Johor government's efforts to improve public transport, saying that recent upgrades have contributed to smoother, hassle-free travel. College student Nur Syafiqa Sulaiman, 23, who travels from Johor Baru to her family home in Pasir Gudang every weekend, said she had noticed significant improvement in punctuality, especially at Larkin Sentral – the main transport terminal. Nur Syafiqa says nowadays, buses arrive on time at Larkin Sentral. 'Public transportation in Johor has improved a lot lately. The buses I take always arrive on time at Larkin Sentral,' said the information technology diploma student. Upon reaching the terminal, Nur Syafiqa opts for a taxi instead of e-hailing services. She is also looking forward to the Electric Train Service (ETS) in Johor Baru. 'The ETS will strengthen public transportation in Johor Baru and make it easier and faster for people, especially students like myself,' she said. For cross-border travellers like consultant Mohd Ariff Leow Abdullah, 61, improvements in immigration processes have made a difference. 'I cross the Causeway at least once a month for meetings in Singapore. 'Nowadays, there is a lot of improvement in immigration clearance on both sides.' Mohd Ariff: Improvements in immigration processes have made a tangible difference. Mohd Ariff prefers taking Singapore-bound taxis from Larkin Sentral as they allowed him flexibility and comfort. 'I prefer taking the cross-border taxi because I don't need to rush to catch a bus. 'I can travel at my own pace, and that really matters for business trips.' He is especially optimistic about the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, expected to be operational by end-2026 or early 2027 – connecting Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru with Woodlands North in Singapore. 'With RTS coming soon, travelling will become even more seamless. 'It will be a game changer for regular commuters,' he added. Natasha: State initiative to upgrade the facility is long overdue. Long-time business operator Natasha Juan, 45, who runs a hair salon at Larkin Sentral, said the upgrading project was long overdue. 'I have been here almost 30 years. Larkin Sentral is not just a transport hub – it is also an economic centre. 'There is a wet market, shops and services. People don't just catch buses here, they come to shop and run errands,' she pointed out. Juan hopes the RM2.5mil upgrading project will attract more visitors and help boost businesses. 'Once upgrading works are completed, especially for the toilets, I believe more people will feel comfortable coming here. 'It will help businesses like mine,' she added. Meanwhile, Dr R. Daya Para Rao, 63, a Klang Valley resident who visited Johor Baru for a meeting, had his first experience using Larkin Sentral when boarding a bus home. 'I was pleasantly surprised. It was very systematic, and the staff were helpful. 'As a senior citizen, I appreciate that things are well-organised and not confusing.' He said transportation projects like RTS and ETS would further complement Johor's growth as a modern and investor-friendly city. 'The Johor government is clearly serious about upgrading public transport. 'That is very important for everyone,' he said. Dr Daya Para Rao said that as Johor's economy expanded, seamless transport was crucial for supporting mobility and daily life. He said, 'Johor Baru is growing rapidly in terms of economic development, and this will attract more people to live and work here. 'With good public transport, Johor's vision of becoming a developed state can be a reality.' — By MOHD FARHAAN SHAH
