“Kelantan’s ECRL project is 79.81% complete, with unique cultural designs for the Kota Bharu station. Expected operational start in January 2027.”
Kelantan, 25th June 2024, 13.08pm -The construction of the East Coast Railway Link (ECRL) in Kelantan, spanning 43 kilometers, has achieved a 79.81% progress as of last month, according to Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) CEO Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak.
He mentioned that the progress is on track with the project schedule, aiming for the completion of the railway line from Kota Bharu to Terminal Bersepadu Gombak (integrated transport terminal).
Kelantan will feature a passenger station (Kota Bharu station) in Bandar Baru Tunjong and the Pasir Puteh station in Kampung Cherang Tuli for both passengers and cargo, he added.
He noted that the under-construction Kota Bharu station will include multiple platforms, parking spaces, pick-up and drop-off areas, covered walkways, workers’ quarters, and landscaped areas, among other amenities.
He made these remarks in a statement issued during Kelantan Crown Prince Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra’s visit to the ECRL station site in Bandar Baru Tunjong on Sunday.
Darwis added that the Kota Bharu station will incorporate the “Rumah Meleh Melayu” and “Bunga Ketam Guri” design concepts, reflecting distinctive elements of Kelantan culture.
Tengku Muhammad Fakhry received a briefing on the project’s progress before visiting the railway site.
Also in attendance were state Public Works, Infrastructure, Water and Rural Development Committee chairman Datuk Dr. Izani Husin and Kelantan police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook expressed confidence that the ECRL project would be completed on schedule by December 2026 and become operational in January 2027.
The 665-km ECRL project, with a budget of RM50.27 billion, will link Kota Bharu to the Gombak integrated transport terminal, reducing travel time to four hours from seven hours by road or over 12 hours during festive seasons.
