Gombak to be next integrated transportation hub

PETALING JAYA: Gombak will be the next integrated transportation hub for Greater Kuala Lumpur when the East Coast Railway Line (ECRL) is up and running.

It is part of an estimated RM55bil project connecting Klang Valley to the East Coast as announced in Budget 2017.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will lead a delegation to China from Oct 30 to Nov 6 to strengthen bilateral ties and also discuss on the ECRL project with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the integrated transport terminal (ITT) Gombak would be one of the stops on the rail line.

“Gombak will be an integrated hub where MRT, LRT and bus will stop,” said Liow.

It was announced in Budget 2017 that among the townships that would be connected by ECRL are Port Klang, Bentong, Mentakab, Kuantan, Kemaman, Kerteh, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Baru and Tumpat over a 600km rail route.

Even though the cost of RM55bil was stated in the Budget, Liow said that it was only a rough figure and that they had to further fine-tune the details of the three phases of the project to work out a better estimate of the cost.

The first phase is the construction of the rail line from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan, followed by the second phase from Kuantan to Kuala Terengganu and the final phase from Kuala Terengganu to Kota Baru and ending in Tumpat.

Liow hoped that the project would begin next year and be completed by 2022.

He said the introduction of ECRL would stimulate economic growth to the East Coast where the railway line would enable the transportation of goods from the east to the west.

The Bentong MP said the connectivity of public transport would allow his constituency to be a satellite town to Greater Kuala Lumpur.

“And travel distance from KL to Bentong will only take 30 minutes by train.”

He also said that there would be sustainable development in the town with focus on eco-tourism and agro-tourism where Bukit Tinggi and Janda Baik could be tourist attractions.

Liow, who was invited to China by Najib, hoped that China would offer a lower price for the construction of the railway.

The Prime Minister, he said, would also talk on the technology that would be used for the project.