KOTA BHARU: The construction of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project in four states – Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor – has achieved a 40.81% completion rate so far, according to Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL).
Its CEO Darwis Abdul Razak said that in Kelantan the ECRL’s progress has reached 51.94%.
“Infrastructure works for the construction of the ECRL line in Kelantan are actively being carried out, including the installation of beams which started from the bridge in Jerus, Pasir Puteh and is now approaching the area near Padang Raja, Melor,” he said.
Darwis said land reclamation (subgrade) works involving 16 of 19 locations in the state have commenced.
“The soil treatment and piling works for the Kota Bharu ECRL station in Tunjong as well as the soil treatment works for the Pasir Puteh ECRL station in Kampung Jeram are also being actively carried out,” he said at an ECRL breaking of fast event here last night, which was attended by Kelantan menteri besar Ahmad Yakob.
He added that based on the work progress, the ECRL project in Kelantan covering 43.86km is expected to be completed according to schedule by end-2026.
MRL, the project and asset owner of ECRL, is a special purpose vehicle company wholly owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated.
The ECRL rail network will bridge the east coast and the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia by connecting Kota Bharu in Kelantan to Port Klang in Selangor.
The 665km ECRL, which will have 59 tunnels and involve construction works in the four states, is expected to start operating in January 2027.
China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) is the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contractor for the project.
Last December, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the ECRL project will proceed at a reduced overall cost of RM74.96 billion, compared with the original cost of RM85.97 billion approved in 2016.