Selangor’s forest reserves will be 11ha smaller should the new proposed “northern alignment” of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) go ahead.

Environmentalists are cautiously optimistic and commended the use of a long tunnel to avoid the need to clear more forests.

They also noted measures in the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) report to mitigate the potential impact on wildlife and sources of drinking water.

Should the proposed alignment proceed, the experts called for assurance that these measures would be implemented during the actual construction...