New east coast railway in the works

KUALA LUMPUR: A market sensing exercise is underway for the construction of a new East Coast Railway (ECR).

The International Railway Journal reported Chief Executive Officer of the Land Transport Authority (SPAD) Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah as saying it was engaged in a request for information process for contracts to build the railway.

SPAD and the East Coast Economic Region Development Council are analysing different types of business, technical models and procurement strategies and alternatives for the implementation of the ECR.

Speaking to the International Railway Journal (IRJ), Azharuddin said the 600km standard-gauge line would connect Kuala Lumpur to Bentong, in Pahang, and run through Terangganu to Tumpat ,Kelantan. Trains will operate at up to 200km/h.

“At the moment all of the rail links are on the western side of the peninsula, we do have a rail link to the eastern side but it covers what I would say are rural areas. The new line will serve major towns in this area of the country,” Azharuddin told the IRJ.

Azharuddin said in addition to boosting passenger connectivity, the new line was part of a strategy to increase freight traffic on the Malaysian rail network.

He was quoted as saying the development process for the project would take seven to eight years to complete but that at this stage there was no agreed completion date for the line.

“We have to complete this RFI exercise and then we need to present it to the economic council,” Azharuddin was quoted as saying. “We are looking at models of support from the private sector but we think the case is strong.”

 

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