KUALA LUMPUR: The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project is on track to achieve its target of 41 tunnel breakthroughs by the third quarter (Q3) 2025, following the completion of excavation for 38 tunnels along its rail alignment.
According to Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL), the milestone was marked by two key breakthroughs earlier this week in Selangor.
On April 7, the 3.50-kilometre ‘Serendah 1 Tunnel’ successfully broke through, two months ahead of schedule, bringing the total number of completed tunnel excavations to 38.
The previous day on April 6, the 189-metre ‘Rawang-Bestari Jaya Tunnel’ was also completed, marking the 37th breakthrough.
With these two breakthroughs, MRL said only three tunnels remain under excavation (the 16.39km twin-bore Genting Tunnel and the 9.85km Serendah 2 Tunnel).
“The Genting Tunnel, which is being excavated with the help of two advanced tunnel boring machines (TBMs), is expected to break through in mid-2025, while the Serendah 2 Tunnel is projected to be completed by the third quarter of 2025,” it said in a statement.
MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said the smooth excavation works at ‘Serendah 1 Tunnel’ and ‘Rawang-Bestari Jaya Tunnel’ were attributed to the outstanding effort and commitment of the ECRL project team at Section 8 and Section 9 respectively as well as adoption of advanced tunnelling techniques and safe construction practices.
Darwis said the company achieved a major milestone with the smooth excavation of the 3.50 km long ‘Serendah 1 Tunnel’, which is central to the ECRL alignment linking Gombak to Port Klang in Selangor.
“Some 512,582 cubic metres of soil and rock were safely removed with minimal ground movement and minor inconvenience to the road users throughout the excavation period using the drill-and-blast method,” he said.
China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd managing director Deng Bo said as the construction of the ECRL enters the new phase involving system installations, the company remains focused on maintaining momentum and ensuring timely delivery.
“We are committed to deliver Malaysia’s national mega railway infrastructure with the highest standards of safety and quality, strengthening connectivity between the east and west coasts,” Deng added.
The construction for Phase 1 of the ECRL spanning from Kota Bharu, Kelantan to the Gombak Integrated Terminal, Selangor is scheduled for completion by December 2026, with operations set for January 2027 onwards.
The construction for Phase 2 linking Gombak with Port Klang is expected to be completed by December 2027 and fully operational by January 2028.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/