GEORGE TOWN, Dec 4 – A part of the first phase Transport Master Plan (TMP) in Penang which to construction on the Penang light rail transit (LRT) project will start in 2018. According to SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, the Gamuda Bhd-led project delivery partner (PDP) will be finalising the cost and alignment of the TMP project by year end.
The SRS Consortium’s project director Szeto Wai Loong said they are expecting the project to kick start the construction of the LRT in 2018 and take about six years to complete this project. The proposed Bayan Lepas LRT alignment begins from Komtar and ends at Penang International Airport, running along the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (LCE).
It was previously reported by local media that the construction of the LRT project was scheduled to take off in the first half of 2017. Szeto said the LRT project, which has a total alignment length of approximately 20km, is one of the first components to be implemented under the TMP. The other component is the Pan Island Link Highway, which is expected to start construction in 2017.
He pointed out that the LRT project and Pan Island Link Highway were determined as the first components in the delivery sequence of the TMP because they fetch economic internal rates of return of 12.2% and 14% respectively, which are the highest among other components.
“The construction of the LRT project was expected to have minimal environment and social impact because the alignment ran past the LCE and Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, which have a wide reserve. We are not acquiring a lot of people’s land compared to other developments,” he added.
Meanwhile, Szeto also said that the detailed environmental impact assessment report on the plan to reclaim two islands south of Penang Island will be available to the public for review by mid-2016. The reclaimed land will be an asset of the State, and as the sole owner by the state government and the land will be auctioned to finance the RM27 billion TMP.
“Meanwhile, we also need to conduct several months of preliminary studies along with getting public engagement on the proposed reclamation. After finalising the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies, the proposed project will be displayed publicly for public feedback by June 2016,” Szeto said.
The reclamation land had been identified as a land swap model to finance the TMP in Penang which was expected to take off in 2018 once the federal government and state government have done the approvals for this project components were attained.
