ALMOST RM7 billion to RM 8 billion was shaved off the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) construction costs by rerouting the track to avoid Bentong and Gombak, said sources.

They said the track was not routed through Bentong and Gombak to avoid tunnelling thorough the Titiwangsa range, saving between 18km and 22km.

“The old route from Kuantan to Bentong and from Mentakab to Gombak is very lengthy.

“The route required between 18km and 22km of tracks, and by cutting the sections, we saved between RM7 billion to RM8 billion.

“Now the Mentakab route will go through Bukit Putus in Negri Sembilan, not Bentong,” a source told The Malaysian Insight.

The source said the new route will only involve only about 3km to 4km of tunnelling.

The ECRL project, started by the previous government, was suspended last year due to its high cost.

On April 12, Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) and China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) signed a supplementary agreement (SA), paving the way for its resumption at reduced cost.

Under the new agreement, construction of Phases 1 and 2 will resume at a cost of RM44 billion, a RM21.5 billion reduction from the original projection of RM65.5 billion.

The rail line will have a new alignment cutting its distance by 40km to 648km and reducing its cost per kilometre from RM98 million to RM68 million.

According to the old route plan for the ECRL, Phase 1 will be from Kota Baru, Kelantan to Gombak at a cost of RM46 billion. The second phase will resume from Gombak, go through Serendah and end in Port Klang, both in Selangor at a price of RM9 billion.

The third phase will use the dual-track rail system to connect Kota Baru and Pengkalan Kubor in Kelantan at a cost of RM10.5 billion.

After former Council of Eminent Persons chairman Daim Zainuddin managed to reduce the cost under the new deal, the ECRL project will now be only constructed in two phases.

The ECRL’s new route will be from Kota Baru, Mentakab (Pahang), Jelebu (Negri Sembilan), Kuala Klawang (Negri Sembilan), Bangi (Selangor), Putrajaya, and Port Klang.

Under the new terms, Malaysian contractors will construct 40% of the project instead of the original 30%.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said work on the project will resume as soon as possible now that an agreement has been reached. – April 21, 2019.