MARAN: The second phase of the East Coast Rail Link's (ECRL) track laying between Kuantan Port City (KPC) and Maran here was completed today.
Work along the stretch, covering 97km and which began on March 9, was completed 1½ months ahead of schedule.
The first phase, from KPC to Dungun, Terengganu, covering 92km, was completed in February.
ECRL's Section 10 deputy project general manager Chen Jian attributed the "remarkable pace of track laying" to the CCPG-500A track-laying machine, which achieves a rate of between 1.5km and 2km per day.
"The machine uses advanced automation, which ensures the track-laying process is carried out smoothly.
"The conventional method using traditional track-laying machines requires a lot of manpower.
"The CCPG-500A machine, deployed for the first time in the Malaysian rail industry, requires little manpower."
He said this after the completion of the Phase 2 track-laying process between KPC and Maran in Sungai Ling here.
Chen said following the completion of phases one and two between Dungun and Maran, covering 189km, the track laying under phase three, between Dungun and Kota Baru, would begin next month.
He said the entire ECRL track work, spanning more than 700km, was expected to be completed next year.
Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who was serving as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, had graced the inauguration of the first track-laying ceremony at KPC on Dec 11 last year.
The ECRL route in Pahang consists of seven stations: Cherating and KotaSAS, which cater only to passengers, while KPC, Paya Besar (Kuantan), Maran, Temerloh and Bentong stations combine passenger and cargo stations.
The 665km-long ECRL, built at a cost of RM50.27 billion, will traverse Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu through to the Klang Valley.
Once completed in late 2026, passenger trains can travel at 160kph while freight trains can travel at 80kph.