KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — The track laying of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) for the entire Kota Bharu, Kelantan to Gombak, Selangor alignment, covering 519 kilometres (km) has been completed. 

China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd (CCCECRL) said the accomplishment marks the completion of the construction phase of the track, coupled with system installations, and the ECRL has now officially entered the testing and commissioning phase.

“The first of its kind in Malaysia, the CCPG‐500A mechanised track-laying machine was

deployed to complete the full ECRL alignment. 

“The final Phase 4, covering 126 km from Maran to Gombak, began in April 2025, and was completed on Feb 5, 2026, half a month ahead of schedule,” said the company, which is the main engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contractor (EPCC) of the ECRL, in a statement today. 

Meanwhile, CCCECRL managing director Deng Bo said that with the track now fully laid and electrification underway along the Kota Bharu-Gombak alignment in Selangor, the arrival of the electric multiple unit marks the start of 8,000 km of fault-free run testing and commissioning. 

“This milestone brings us one step closer to full operations in January 2027, underscoring our commitment to precision, safety, and delivering a state-of-the-art ECRL project,” he said.

Track laying officially began in December 2023, with a royal blessing from the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, at Kuantan Port City (KPC). 

According to the statement, the alignment then progressed northward from KPC to Maran, onward to Dungun, and finally reached Kota Bharu. 

The stretches covered 92 km, 95 km, and 206 km, respectively, marking steady progress that paved the way for Phase 4 and the successful completion of the full Kota Bharu to Gombak track alignment.

As of February 2026, the ECRL project has achieved approximately 92.62 per cent overall progress, reflecting continuous advancement across all phases and readiness for the next stage of testing and commissioning. — Bernama