GOMBAK: The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) Project has reached a significant milestone with the successful tunnelling breakthrough of the 959-metre Gombak Tunnel, completed one month ahead of schedule.
Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari officiated the ECRL Gombak Tunnel Breakthrough ceremony at the tunnel's exit portal today.
The event was also graced by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah, and China's Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing.
The accomplishment comes after approximately 5.8 million man-hours of work and the use of the drill-and-blast method, a technique employed to tackle the challenges of boring through weathered granite.
Excavation work began in June last year, with a breakthrough initially scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year.
The civil works are expected to conclude by March next year.
"We are grateful for the Selangor state government's cooperation, as well as the support from state agencies and local authorities," said Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak.
The Gombak Tunnel will be one of five stations along the 92-km main alignment in Selangor.
"The (Gombak Tunnel) station will be completed for human transportation by the end of 2026.
"For cargo transportation, it will be completed by 2027," clarified Amirudin in a press conference after the ceremony.
When asked about views expressed by locals and non-governmental organisations on environmental protection and public safety concerns, Amirudin said both the developers and the authorities are paying close attention.
"(The developers) have some requirements they have to follow. At the same time, our local authorities also take action," he said.
The ECRL Project first celebrated a tunnel breakthrough in Terengganu, at the 1.1-km Paka Tunnel, completed six months early in April 2021.
In Selangor, the initial breakthrough occurred at the 469-metre Sungai Buaya 2 Tunnel in May 2024, showcasing the project's ongoing success in meeting or exceeding timelines.