PETALING JAYA: UEM Sunrise announced London-based engineering consultants, Atkins as the winner of International Land Use Master Planning Competition for Gerbang Nusajaya’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) plot surrounding the Iskandar Puteri High-Speed Rail Station in Johor.

The consultancy was selected out of other participating world-class master planners, based on its remarkable, practical and sustainable design for the TOD plot that surrounds MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd’s (MyHSR Corp) Iskandar Puteri High-Speed Rail (HSR) station in Gerbang Nusajaya.

UEM Sunrise Bhd managing director and chief executive officer Anwar Syahrin Abdul Ajib mentioned “With the announcement of Atkins as the winner, UEM Sunrise is now well-positioned to develop and bring to life the Gerbang Nusajaya’s TOD. We will soon commence the detailed planning and submission for the TOD surrounding the Iskandar Puteri HSR station, and together with our strategic stakeholders, we hope to unlock the full potential of Gerbang Nusajaya.

“Not only in the lead up to the completion of the HSR station but to also ensure that we sustain our success by developing the communities and that the value propositions of the master plan will serve the rakyat and our future generations. I am confident that the Gerbang Nusajaya’s TOD holds tremendous potential for Iskandar Puteri as well as the Southern region of Malaysia,” he said in a statement.

He also added the KL-SG HSR project would be a game-changer which will not only further strengthen the connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore but will also enhance the accessibility, improve mobility, among others.

The idea of KL-SG HSR was initiated through the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) to transform Malaysia into a high-income nation. The KL-SG HSR stations will also transform the landscape of the region as towns along the line stand to benefit from the opportunities, facilitated by greater accessibility.

The connectivity will enable businesses to be more productive and access a broader marketplace, while the public will enjoy an improved travel experience of shorter travel time (90 minutes from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore) and a comfortable ride through the KL-SG HSR’s city centre to city centre connection along the corridor.

Gerbang Nusajaya’s TOD will be developed in parallel with the Iskandar Puteri HSR station. UEM Sunrise has committed to completing the TOD in time for the station to receive its first passengers once the KL-SG HSR becomes operational in 2026.

The company is also continuing to explore potential collaborations with partners and stakeholders to jointly develop the TOD area.

On Oct 17, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak unveiled the architectural concept designs of the seven stations in Malaysia for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (KL-SG HSR), namely Bandar Malaysia, Sepang-Putrajaya, Seremban, Melaka, Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Puteri at the MyStations: Transforming Malaysia event.