Terengganu ECRL project progress exceeds 40 pct

KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- Works on the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) in Terengganu has reached 43.96 per cent as of October.

State Infrastructure, Public Facilities, Utilities and Technology Committee chairman, Dr Mamad Puteh said the development is ahead of the overall ECRL project progress at 35.9 per cent.

He said based on the development, the state government is confident the project would be completed as scheduled in 2026.

"The progress status for Dungun district involving physical works that had been completed encompassing 20 kilometres (km) of land works and construction of two tunnels with a length of 851 metres in Bukit Bauk and 1,110 metres in Paka.

“As such construction of the railway station in Dungun is expected to commence next year and it is now in the design stage,” he said during question time at the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly meeting in Wisma Darul Iman here today.

Mamad was replying to a question by Alias Harun (PAS-Rantau Abang) who wanted to know the status of ECRL construction progress in Terengganu, especially in Dungun.

In reply to a supplementary question by Alias on the comparative development of ECRL in other states, Mamad said Terengganu has achieved the highest level compared to Pahang at 33.2 per cent, Kelantan 41.6 per cent and Selangor 2.13 per cent.

“The progress is the product of cooperation between the departments involved with Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL). We know they frequently hold meetings to ensure works proceed smoothly,” he said.

The six ECRL stations in Terengganu involved two passenger and cargo stations in Dungun and Chukai as well as four passenger stations in Jertih, Bandar Permaisuri, Kuala Terengganu and Kemasek.

The 665 km ECRL project involving alignments in four states namely Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor was designed to be free from floods.

-- BERNAMA