KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega rail project in Malaysia being built by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), marked another key milestone on Saturday with the breakthrough of the 16.39-kilometer Genting Tunnel.

The breakthrough represents a significant achievement in itself, situated beneath more than 750 meters of mountainous terrain, the company said in a statement following a ceremony to mark the occasion.

Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, who officiated the ceremony, told a press briefing that the breakthrough also highlights the successful cooperation between the two countries in the field of railway engineering.

"The ECRL is also touted as a 'game changer' for the movement of passengers and freight in Peninsular Malaysia, as this rail infrastructure will link state capitals, major urban centres, industrial hubs, seaports, airports, and tourism zones while interchanging with existing railway lines along the ECRL corridor," he added.

"The Genting Tunnel breakthrough also signals the completion of excavation works for all 41 ECRL tunnels along the 665-km alignment. This major milestone highlights the strong collaboration and dedication among ECRL personnel at all levels in carrying out tunnel excavation works with meticulous planning and robust safety protocols," Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) Chief Executive Officer Darwis Abdul Razak noted.

Located within the Titiwangsa mountain range, the Genting Tunnel was the most technically challenging of the 41 tunnels constructed along the ECRL alignment, being constructed with the use of advanced tunnel boring machines (TBMs) and drill-and-blast techniques in highly complex and varied geological conditions.

Explaining the challenges of working under these conditions and the use of high-technology methods to overcome them, Chen Jianfeng, deputy general manager of CCCC Second Highway Engineering Co., Ltd., told Xinhua that China's TBM technology is among the world's most advanced and well-suited to handle these challenges.

"The Genting Tunnel has highly complex geological conditions, including water ingress, rock bursts, soft surrounding rock, and six fault zones along the alignment. Due to these challenges, we chose the TBM method, which offers greater safety, stability, and efficiency for tunneling under such difficult conditions," he said.

He also emphasized that the Chinese side has worked well with the Malaysian side to share knowledge and integrate processes, not only by bringing in advanced machinery and expertise but also by incorporating localization.

"Throughout the construction process in Malaysia, we have placed strong emphasis on localization while continuously working towards the integration of Chinese and Malaysian standards -- a key focus of our efforts. During the project, we incorporated a wide range of local Malaysian elements and actively nurtured local talent," he said.

"Many Malaysian technical personnel have been sent to China for training. Looking ahead, the ECRL will be operated through a joint China-Malaysia partnership, with both parties working together as part of an integrated operation and maintenance team," he added.

With the completion of all tunnelling works, the ECRL project now moves into its next phase, which includes track installation, electrification, signaling and communication systems, as well as station interior fit-outs. All works remain on schedule and aligned with the project's master timeline.

The ECRL extends from Malaysia's largest transport hub, Port Klang, and runs across the peninsula to the northeastern Kelantan state. The railway is expected to greatly enhance connectivity and bring more balanced growth to the country by linking its less-developed region on the east coast to the economic heartland on the west coast.