This amount involves the total construction cost of RM50.27 billion and other development costs which come up to RM24.69 billion, it said in a statement.

The other development costs include interest during construction, land acquisition, transfer of utilities and connection charges as well as operating expenses.

It maintained that the RM74.96 billion total cost was lower than the original cost of RM85.97 billion when the project was first launched in 2017.

However, this is higher than the reduced total cost of RM66.02 billion for the project under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration in 2019.

The ministry said the lower construction cost was achieved through various contract renegotiations.

It also reiterated that it will be maintaining the previous government’s decision to revert to the original northern alignment that passes through Serendah from Port Klang and onwards to the East Coast.

The 665km rail network, which includes 59 tunnels, will traverse four states – Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor.

The PH government had halted the ECRL project momentarily when it came to power in 2018, after construction began in August 2017. Work resumed in 2019.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the costs for the ECRL project had been reduced by RM11 billion compared to the original cost of RM85.97 billion.

In 2021, then transport minister Wee Ka Siong said the project would cost RM50.27 billion following changes to its alignment.

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