The total cost of Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project has been revised to RM74.96 billion, almost RM11 billion lower than the 2016 estimates. The project was originally expected to cost around RM85.97 billion. The cost reduction was achieved due to multiple contract renegotiations that were finalised between 2019 and 2022. Other factors include implementation of value engineering as well as the 2021 realignment of the ECRL.
The new cost estimates include total construction cost of RM50.27 billion with the remaining RM24.69 billion covering other development costs including land acquisition, transfer of utilities and operating expenses among others.
The ECRL is a 665 km standard gauge double-track rail system that will transport both passengers and freight between the west and east coast of Malaysia by 2026. The rail link will run from Port Klang on the Malacca Straits to Kota Bharu in northeast Peninsular Malaysia, connecting the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) states of Pahang, Terengganu, and Kelantan as well as Peninsular Malaysia’s Central Region.
