KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 — The high-speed rail (HSR) project connecting Malaysia and Singapore is expected to start in 2017 and will be completed by 2022.

Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) Chief Development Officer, Dr Prodyutt Dutt, said the project would take about five years to be completed and the contract should be out in 2017.

"We also need to consult with the Singapore government and jointly decide when it should be ready," he told reporters on the sidelines of the third edition of Rail Business Asia 2015 here today.

Dutt said the awarding of the contract would be based on an open-tender basis, adding that the cost of the project could roughly be figured out when the tenders were ready.

"Based on a study, HSR project will have positive returns for country's socio-economy, benefiting terminal cities and regenerates the cities in between.

"If you look at Japan, China or France you will find the same scenario. The project will also not overlap with the North-South double track project as it will use different modes and caters to different market," he said.

The proposed HSR project, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, was earlier slated to be completed by 2020.

The HSR Link project, listed under the Economic Transformation Programme, would be tasked to MyHSR Corp Sdn Bhd, a government-backed project delivery company. — Bernama