Penang Allocates RM17b for Transport Plan
In view of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), the Penang government allocated RM17 billion for the Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit (LRT) from Komtar as well as the Pan Island Link 1 projects, reported Bernama.
“What is approved for Phase 1 costs less than RM27 billion,” said State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow.
“What has been approved and to be given the green light to start are the Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the Pan Island Link 1 projects, which are just about RM17 billion.”
He revealed that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the Bayan Lepas LRT project had already been submitted to the Department of Environment in May, while that for the Pan Island Link will be submitted by end-July.
Currently, it is waiting for the conditional approval of the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) for public inspection.
As proposed by project delivery partner SRS Consortium, PTMP’s total cost was RM46 billion for the railway and highway, which include Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd’s undersea tunnel project and three major roads, said Chow.
He noted that what was proposed, based on engineering consultant Halcrow, was only the conceptual study, which had an estimated cost of RM27 billion.
“The state government had appointed SRS Consortium to implement the PTMP, and the consortium had proposed a cost of RM46 billion after they conducted a feasibility study and preliminary engineering design,” he said, adding that the cost remained the same so far.
Earlier this month, BN strategic communications team reportedly questioned Penang over the RM19 billion increase of the PTMP cost to RM46 billion, from RM27 billion previously.
Image sourced from FMT