Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said the 25km-long track, also known as Section D, would not require additional government funding nor will it increase the development cost of the ECRL project.
ECRL project owner Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd and its main contractor China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) will release detailed tender information by the end of this month.
Loke said that the double-track system will enhance rail freight capacity and improve transport efficiency to Northport and Westports.
“The change in scope to a double-track system is expected to have a significant impact by allowing KTMB and ECRL services to operate independently without relying on each other,” he told reporters after launching the Malaysia Maritime Single Window here.
“This will enhance the overall capacity of rail freight services to Northport and Westports and strengthen the efficiency of the import-export trade industry once the project is fully completed.”
He added that the priority to upgrade the tracks will be given to qualified and experienced Bumiputera contractors in the rail industry.
The ECRL project is a 665km RM50.3 billion rail network that connects the east coast and the west coast, namely Kota Bharu in Kelantan to Gombak in Selangor.
It is expected that travel time between these points will drop to four hours from the current seven-hour road journey, or more than 12 hours during festive seasons.