KUANTAN: The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, which is slated for completion in December 2026, has achieved an overall progress of 70.13 per cent as of July.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke described the ECRL construction works in Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan as quite advanced while works in Selangor were 30 per cent completed.
"Construction is according to schedule and the rail line between Kelantan (Kota Baru) and the Integrated Transport Terminal (ITT) in Gombak, Selangor will be operational from January 2027.
The stretch between ITT to Port Klang will be completed a year after that.
"The ECRL will serve as an important element for passengers and goods. The project will connect Kuantan Port and Port Klang in Selangor to boost cargo transport," he told reporters after the closing of the Kuantan Port international conference at a hotel here today.
Loke said the ECRL stations in Pahang would attract investors to set up industrial parks along the stretch.
"The rail line will be a huge advantage to the industrial sector in the east coast, especially Pahang. It will ensure easier cargo connectivity between the industrial sites and the port.
"Investors can open factories along the rail line," he said.
There are seven ECRL stations in Pahang. Cherating and KotaSAS stations cater for passengers while KPC, Paya Besar (Kuantan), Maran, Temerloh and Bentong stations are for both passengers and cargo.
Built at a cost of RM50.27 billion, the 665km-long ECRL will traverse Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu through to the Klang Valley.
Once completed, passenger trains can travel at 160kph while freight trains can travel at 80kph.
It was reported in March that the ECRL was 62.4 per cent complete.
At the conference today, which marked Kuantan Port's 50th anniversary, Loke witnessed the signing of two memorandums of understanding (MoUs).
The first was between Kuantan Port and New Land-sea Corridor Operation Co Ltd to establish a strategic framework for regional cooperation.
The second MoU was between Kuantan Port, Northport Malaysia and Malaysia Rail Link to develop a comprehensive land bridge plan to coordinate rail and port operations to ensure seamless integration between Kuantan Port and Northport via the ECRL.