Loke says ECRL on schedule with 73% completed

 

Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said some parts of the East Coast Rail Link line would be built on elevated ground to avoid floods. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) has achieved 72.93% progress as of September, says transport minister Loke Siew Fook.

In a Bernama report, Loke said this encouraging progress was in line with the December 2026 deadline for the ECRL track from Kota Bharu to the Gombak Integrated Transport Terminal to be completed.

He said the rail line from Gombak to Port Klang, meanwhile, is expected to be completed in December 2027.

Terengganu’s progress, at 87.4%, is ahead of the other states under this mega project, namely Selangor, Kelantan and Pahang,

 he said.

Our target is for train services between Kota Bharu and Gombak to start on Jan 1, 2027. I am confident that with such progress, we are on schedule.

He told reporters this after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) and Eastern Pacific Industrial Corporation Bhd (EPIC Bhd) in Kuala Terengganu today.

Loke said the MoU would enable the ECRL services to connect the Kemaman Port, which is one of the deepest seaports in Malaysia, with other ports, industrial parks, business centres and tourism zones along the rail line.

Aimed at improving connectivity and stimulating economic development, the ECRL, traversing Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor, is set to be an economic game-changer especially in boosting Malaysia’s transportation network.

Asked if the 665km ECRL project would be affected by the monsoon season expected in Terengganu next month, Loke said MRL and China Communications Construction Company Ltd had already taken the matter into consideration.

Loke said that some parts of the ECRL line would be built on elevated ground, including flyovers, to avoid floods. - FMT