By Sarah Hafizah Chandra & Neville Timothy Sanders
KUCHING: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg described the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) Hikmah Exchange Hub as the nerve and central station of Sarawak’s ART system here.
He said the ART Hikmah Exchange Hub will serve as the main convergence point for all ART lines in Kuching.
“This station is the nerve of our ART, and it is connected to the other stations along the red line, blue line and green line. All these lines will converge here as the main station similar to KL Sentral in Kuala Lumpur,” he said during a press conference after conducting a site visit today.
Abang Johari explained that the central hub would provide access to key strategic areas in Kuching, including the city centre, the Heritage Trail, Padang Merdeka, Carpenter Street and Padungan, among others.
Through the green line, he said the ART network would eventually connect to Petra Jaya to provide a link to state administrative offices before extending towards Pantai Damai while another link would connect Simpang Tiga where federal offices are located.
“With this central station, people will be connected in any direction of Kuching City. They don’t have to take buses or private vehicles anymore because they can travel using the ART.
“Hopefully, there will be less traffic on the roads as our goal is to make Kuching City a friendly and low-carbon city. We want to transform Kuching City not just through our ART system, but we will also be imposing Green Building Index (GBI),” Abang Johari added.
“We are also looking into modernising the Kuching Saujana Bas Terminal Building (located near Padang Merdeka) and there is a plan for development of a hotel at the former Arif Hotel site.”
Touching on the park-and-ride facilities at ART stations, Abang Johari said this would allow commuters from areas such as Samarahan to leave their vehicles and use the ART, including for major events like football matches.
He drew parallels with transport systems in cities such as London where stations provide direct access to stadiums and major venues.
“This central station is very important and there will be various services available here,” he reiterated.
With the central station targeted for completion in 2028, Abang Johari pointed out that Sarawak’s profile as a hub for international conferences and business events continue to grow.
He said the ART would provide direct access to the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), thus offering visitors a faster and more convenient alternative to taxis or ride-hailing services.
