ECRL Project, Aims to Operate by 2027

Recently, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has officiated a ceremony to mark the start of Genting Tunnel excavation under the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) first tunnel boring machine (TBM1) project.

The project costs more than 50 million and could enhance connectivity between Selangor and the east coast states including transport cargo from Port Klang to Port Kuantan. 

Apart from that, it benefitted young people especially 5,000 youths from east coast as it has the potential to produce more highly skilled locals through ECRL Industrial Skills Training Programme (PLKI-ECRL).

Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM1) is predicted to complete approximately 2 and a half years to three years to break through 16.39km Genting Tunnel which costs an average excavation amount of between 400m and 600m per month. 

Once the tunnel project is accomplished, it will become the longest rail tunnel in the South-east Asia region which expected to operate in January 2027 having 665 kilometres distance across Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Selangor.

More uniquely, this tunnel excavation is the only among 59 tunnels drilling to use the TBM method, compared to the drilling and blasting methods for previous tunnels.

With a speed of 160kph, the journey is more convenient and safer for passengers to travel to the east coast. 

Total of 20 stations, consisting of 10 passenger stations and a mix of passenger and cargo stations, the ECRL is also connected to the LRT Kelana Jaya Line at ITT Gombak, thus reducing travel time to Kelantan to 4 hours compared to 7 to 12 hours of journey during festive season. 

TBM1 is a state-of-the-art machine built made for this project and is the largest rail construction machine in South-east Asia to convey through Titiwangsa Range along the Bukit Tinggi area which link Bentong with Gombak, Selangor.

THE East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is under the partnership project between Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) and China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC).