Expanding Woodlands Checkpoint
The Johor Causeway in Singapore saw a severe traffic jam due to heavy weekend traffic and a shortage of open immigration desks at the Woodlands Checkpoint.
The congestion also resulted in long wait times for travellers trying to board buses headed for Singapore.
Singaporeans who have travelled to Malaysia usually return to the city-state on Sundays following their trips or shopping.
By opening all vehicle lanes or implementing contra lanes to handle the large volume of cars, immigration officers on both sides of the checkpoints often try their utmost to guarantee a seamless passage.
From the Singapore checkpoint to the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine Complex (BSI), cars were stuck in a traffic jam that began at around 2:00 p.m. yesterday.
Driving from Johor to Singapore, a driver who asked to be identified only as Tan claimed to have been trapped in traffic for about two hours.
“It astonished me that while some immigration desks on the Singapore side were closed, all of the counters on the Malaysian side appeared to be open.
“With New Year’s Day just a few days away, I hope Singapore’s authorities are aware of the massive influx of people travelling over the weekend,” she added, adding that heavy rains had also caused reduced visibility, which slowed down the cars.
Commuters were able to swiftly cross immigration at the BSI bus hall, but they had to wait for hours since their buses were stuck in traffic, according to Helmi, another traveler.
He said that although he was concerned about being late for work, “we quickly cleared immigration with the QR code, but there was a long queue at the bus area.”
When contacted, a representative of the Home Ministry stated that the delay had prompted the people to plan their trip to Singapore by posting an online notice.
According to the source, Singapore’s Woodlands Checkpoint had a huge backlog of cars even though all of the vehicle counters at BSI were operational.
“We advised the public to spread out their travels because it can take up to two or three hours to get to Singapore,” the source stated.
The spokesperson stated that the traffic also affected vehicles entering BSI.
It took until around midnight to clear the congestion.
Heavy traffic is anticipated at the Woodlands and Tuas gates till the end of the year, according to a recent statement from Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).