ECRL Completes Excavation Of 38 Tunnels Ahead Of Schedule, Marks Key Milestone

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 (Bernama) -- The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project has completed excavation works for 38 tunnels along its rail alignment, following two recent breakthroughs in Selangor earlier this week.

This milestone was marked by the breakthrough of the 3.50-kilometre (km) ‘Serendah 1 Tunnel’ on April 7, 2025, two months ahead of schedule, making it the 38th tunnel to complete excavation to date.

A day earlier, on April 6, the project registered its 37th breakthrough with the completion of excavation works for the 189-metre ‘Rawang-Bestari Jaya Tunnel’.

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"With the two tunnels broken through, the ECRL has now achieved 38 tunnel breakthroughs out of the 41 planned along its rail alignment," said Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) and China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd (CCCECRL) in a joint statement. 

The companies noted that the three remaining tunnels under excavation are the twin-bore 16.39-km Genting Tunnel and the 9.85-km ‘Serendah 2 Tunnel’.

"The Genting Tunnel, currently in its final stage of excavation using two state-of-the-art tunnel boring machines, is expected to break through by mid-2025. Meanwhile, the ‘Serendah 2 Tunnel’, being excavated using the drill-and-blast method, is targeted for breakthrough in the third quarter of 2025," they shared.

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On April 7, the final blast at the ‘Serendah 1 Tunnel’ broke through the last barrier approximately 2,046 metres from the tunnel’s exit portal. The achievement was the result of 894,920 man-hours and the use of the drill-and-blast technique through primarily weathered granite.

At the time of the breakthrough, the permanent tunnel lining had progressed 2,500 metres, of which the tunnel itself averages 12 metres in height and 13 metres in width, designed to accommodate two standard-gauge railway tracks, the companies said.

Excavation works for the ‘Serendah 1 Tunnel’ began in November 2022, with the breakthrough originally scheduled for May 31, 2025, and all associated civil works expected to be completed by January 2026.

The companies stated that the tunnel is crucial for ensuring the ECRL alignment complies with its maximum gradient of 0.9 per cent, while also minimising impact on nearby water catchment areas such as Batu Dam and reducing open forest clearing near the Sungai Tua Recreational Forest.

MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak credited the successful excavation of the ‘Serendah 1 Tunnel’ and ‘Rawang–Bestari Jaya Tunnel’ to advanced tunnelling techniques and strict safety practices.

"We achieved a major milestone with the smooth excavation of the 3.50 km-long ‘Serendah 1 Tunnel' which is central to the ECRL alignment linking Gombak to Port Klang in Selangor. Some 512,582 cubic metres of soil and rock were safely removed with minimal ground movement," he said.

CCCECRL managing director Deng Bo reaffirmed the company’s commitment to maintaining project momentum and ensuring timely delivery.

"We are committed to delivering Malaysia’s national mega railway infrastructure with the highest standards of safety and quality, strengthening connectivity between the east and west coasts," he said.

Phase 1 of the ECRL Project, running from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, to the Gombak Integrated Terminal, Selangor, is scheduled for completion by December 2026, with operations set to begin in January 2027.

 Phase 2, linking Gombak with Port Klang, is expected to be completed by December 2027 and become operational by January 2028.

The ECRL’s electric multiple unit passenger trains will be capable of speeds up to 160 km per hour, reducing travel time between Kota Bharu and Gombak to four hours — compared to about seven hours by road, or over 12 hours during festive periods.

MRL, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance (Incorporated), is the project owner of the ECRL, while CCCECRL serves as the engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning contractor.

-- BERNAMA