PAKA – The East Coast Rail Link project, jointly constructed with China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), today saw its first tunnel breakthrough in Terengganu, reported the Xinhua news agency.
The breakthrough ceremony for the 1.1km single-bore Paka tunnel was attended by officials and representatives of project owner Malaysia Rail Link and CCCC.
ECRL runs from Port Klang across the peninsula to Kelantan.
It is expected to bring balanced growth to the peninsula’s less-developed east coast upon completion in 2026.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong earlier this week said construction “is in full swing” and progressing at an “encouraging” rate of 21.39% as of last month.
Works at more than 300 locations will commence by year-end, including earthworks, bridge construction and tunnelling, he said.
Malaysia Rail Link chairman Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said the achievement "is the result of 620,000 working hours with the implementation of drill and blast methods".
Excavation works started from the tunnel’s entrance in April 2018. However, construction stopped in July 2018 due to the suspension of the ECRL project for the renegotiation between the two governments, and continued in August 2019 after the project was relaunched on July 25 that year.
Zuki said that there are 59 tunnels in the ECRL project.
Spanning a total of 665km, the ECRL will connect east coast states namely Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang with the Klang Valley on the west coast. – Bernama, April 9, 2021
