THE impasse over the route of the 665km – Port Klang to Kota Baru – East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), costing about RM44 billion, can be easily resolved if logic and common sense are given preference.

There will be a saving of more than RM20 billion if the southern route is chosen as it is not only shorter but also covers more states.

This will be better for future development.

The southern route traverses through Putrajaya and five states – Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan – and, therefore, has a larger catchment area for future development and transport of goods by train.

The southern route adds Negri Sembilan and Putrajaya, which are slated for more development and growth, unlike the high-terrained Gombak and Bentong areas, which have limited capacity for expansion and development.

Linking Putrajaya, the federal administrative capital, to the ECRL is important for various reasons.

Another benefit is that the southern route is shorter and easier to build as it traverses mostly over low terrain.

The northern route zigzags and is not only longer but passes through ecologically sensitive hilly and mountainous territory, making it more costly not only for construction but also for long-term maintenance.

Maintaining and stabilising the steep slopes from time to time is costly and there is always the danger of landslides and other disasters.

Maintaining the long tunnel is going to be costly as it has to be lighted day and night and needs expensive electronic gadgets for monitoring and surveillance, not to mention the inherent danger of lengthy tunnels.

These are going to be prohibitively expensive considering that the ECRL is not going to be profitable or viable in the short term as its objective is to reduce the imbalance of development as compared to the west coast by attracting investors.

Both the northern and southern routes are accessible to the North-South Expressway and the West Coast Expressway – now under construction – and, therefore, there is no added advantage that one alignment has over the other in this aspect.

Land acquisition is going to be costlier for the northern route as most of the less hilly areas have been occupied by houses or industries, and this in itself could lead to more controversy and politicking over the fair value of the land and it may spiral into a Kampong Baru-type deadlock.

Displacement of residents and industries could be a problem too.

The southern route, however, is much easier as the land is generally flat until it reaches the Pahang section, and beyond that, it proceeds along the low-lying coastal area to Kelantan.

Part of the southern route passes through mainly agricultural land and a forest reserve and, therefore, acquisition costs could be more manageable.

Linking Putrajaya and Negri Sembilan will bring added benefits as KLIA, Cyberjaya and Seremban will be accessible to the ECRL.

Other states like Malacca and Johor that bring a lot of tourists can be linked in the future to the ECRL via spur lines.

Tourism will be a major revenue earner for the ECRL as it will be a safer route to the East Coast states.

I cannot see any good reason why some politicians are adamant and harping on the northern route when obviously the southern one has so many advantages. 

The northern route was planned by the Najib administration without considering alternative routes.

However, when the Pakatan Harapan took over the government, the ECRL was reconsidered to reduce the cost, and the southern route was preferred for various benefits.

Political and monetary considerations for the constituents of the parliamentary and state seats in Selangor and Pahang should not be at the expense of future liabilities for the nation.

Selangor’s position in favouring the southern route should be decisive and final, and the state executive council’s preference has been repeatedly expressed by executive councillor Izham Hashim.

Selangor should have a major say in this matter as it is the most industrialised and developed state in the country.

The future development of Carey Island as a major port should have influenced the Selangor government’s preference for the southern alignment.

Selangor will be the main contributor in terms of goods and passengers for the ECRL.

Further delays could inflate costs and lead to an extension of the 2027 deadline scheduled for completion and operation of the ECRL.

* V. Thomas reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.