Yesterday (8th March, Wednesday), the proposed alignment for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a new railway line that will connect its east coast states to the Greater Klang Valley, was unveiled.
With the aim to connect passengers from Wakaf Bharu in Kelantan and Gombak in Kuala Lumpur in 4 hours, the alignment features 23 stations running along a 600.3km route. To put this into perspective, currently, it takes about 6 and a half hours’ worth of travel time by car to get from Kelantan to Gombak.
On Wednesday, Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) also launched a 3-month public inspection exercise for the railway scheme. Speaking at the launch, Prime Minister Najib Razak said that the project will change the economic landscapes of Terengganu, Kelantan, and Pahang, and turn them into trade hubs and tourism destinations.
“Besides being environmentally friendly, the ECRL will facilitate movements of the people during the festive season,” he added.
Tonnes of sand are being dredged up from the South China Sea to reclaim land and upgrade the Kuantan Port to prepare for the ECRL project as we speak. The ECRL project is scheduled to start in July this year and expected to be completed by June 2024.
Members of the public will be able to view the proposed alignment for the ECRL at SPAD’s headquarters until 5th June. The public can also inspect the plan at 38 other locations, such as the district offices in Kota Bharu, Tumpat, Kuala Terengganu, Besut, Kuantan and Temerloh.
More information is available via the schedule here.
Sources: ECRL Wiki, CNA, MRL, SPAD / Featured image: Malaysia Rail Link.
