KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Monday the 8.9 billion ringgit (2.2 billion U.S. dollars) Gemas-to-Johor Baru electrified double-track project is expected to be completed in 2021.

Loke told a press conference that the 197 km track was already 20 percent in progress, and it is estimated to be completed in October 2021, which is about three years from now.

"We see this as an important project as it is the last stretch to connect the whole west coast," he said, adding that the Electric Train Service, which already serves from Kuala Lumpur northward, will be ready to be wholly operational by 2022.

The double-tracking project, which is an extension of the 329 km Ipoh-Padang Besar northern double-tracking project that was completed in 2012, has 11 new train stations.

The railway project is contracted to China Railway Construction Corporation, China Railway Engineering Corporation and China Communications Construction Company.