KOTA BARU: Residents in the East Coast will have world-class public transportation once the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project is completed in December 2026, it was announced.

       The 665km rail network, which includes 59 tunnels, is estimated to cost RM50.27bil and will traverse four states, namely Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor.

       Malaysian Rail Link (MRL) regional construction manager (Section 1, 2, & 3) Wan Adnan Wan Mat said progress of the ECRL in Kelantan reached 21.58% as of March.

       “For Kelantan, the ECRL alignment is 43.86km and the project is keeping to schedule.

       “The implementation of the project has received good cooperation from the state government and other government agencies,” he said in a recent interview with Bernama and RTM.

       Wan Adnan said infrastructure work involving the ECRL project in Kelantan involved 26 bridges – 13 across roads and others over rivers.

       “In Kelantan, the design of the project and rail line took into account 100-year flood level projections. For example, during last year’s floods, there were no adverse impacts on the implementation of the project in the state,” he added.

       He said the project’s workforce comprised some 50% locals so far, approaching the 70% target set.

       For the record, Kelantan will have two ECRL stations – the passenger station in Tunjong, Kota Baru, as well as a passenger and cargo station in Pasir Puteh.

       The ECRL service, which is expected to be operational in January 2027, can accommodate up to 5.6 million passengers annually, with each trip being able to carry 440 passengers in six carriages.

       The project will cut travel time between Kota Baru and the Klang Valley from the current eight hours to just four hours. — Bernama