KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Malaysia and Singapore will jointly build a four-kilometre subway link that is expected to ease border traffic between the two countries and foster growth, Nikkei Asian Review reported two days ago.

The proposed Rapid Transit System Link will run from Bukit Chagar, where Johor Baru’s immigration facilities are located, to Woodlands North in Singapore.

Prasarana Malaysia and Singapore’s mass rail transit operator SMRT Corp signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the shuttle through a joint venture company, the business paper reported.

Both companies are expected to sign a legally-binding agreement with full technical details by the end of the year ahead of tendering.

The project is due for completion by December 2024. The line will carry an estimated 10,000 commuters per hour between the cities.

The subway shuttle was one of three rail links agreed at a summit in December by the two countries. The biggest project will be the high-speed rail connecting Kuala Lumpur and Singapore next to a domestic service for Malaysia running along the same track

At present, some 126,000 vehicles cross the Malaysia-Singapore border each day using two bridges, among the world’s busiest crossings, Nikkei reported.

The business paper added that improved border crossings are expected to draw people and capital in the opposite direction to Iskandar Malaysia, helping ease the property glut in Malaysia’s largest economic development zone.