Kota Kinabalu: Commuter rail services connecting the main stations and several halts between Kinarut and Sembulan will begin in October, said Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick.
He said six new halts at Lok Kawi, Tombovo, Meruntum, Bukit Vor, Petagas and Petagas Memorial were completed early this year and are expected to begin operations together with the commuter service.
“The provision of these halts will give the community more options and convenience, as they will no longer have to rely entirely on the main stations to use railway services,” he said after officiating the Sabah State Railway Department’s (JKNS) 130th Railway Day celebration at the Tanjung Aru Railway headquarters station on Saturday.
Ewon said the halts would improve access for residents living along the railway route and provide another public transport option for travelling to the city centre.
He also said a study is underway on the proposed expansion of railway services from Putatan to the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP), including the Sepanggar Port area.
Ewon said an expanded railway network could serve not only commuters but also Sabah’s industrial and logistics sectors by facilitating the movement of products from industrial parks to ports.
