a day ago
Penang still waiting for green light from Transport Ministry for LRT project, says chief minister
GEORGE TOWN, July 1 — The Penang state government is still awaiting the official notice to proceed from the Transport Ministry and MRT Corporation (MRTC) before physical work can begin on the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Mutiara Line project.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state hopes to receive the notice this month.
'Last month, I mentioned one or two months, so this month would be the second. We really hope it can be issued this month,' he said after officiating Penang Transportation Day at Komtar today.
He said the notice is crucial to enable SRS Consortium to commence full-scale construction works according to the planned timeline.
However, he noted that some preliminary work has already begun on-site, including soil investigation, land acquisition, and compensation for affected landowners.
He said the state government has fulfilled its responsibility by handing over all roles related to the LRT project to MRTC.
He added that SRS Consortium has also been released from its previous role as the original applicant for the project's implementation.
'The state's relationship with SRS now is only in the context of other components under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), but for the LRT project, it has been taken over by MRTC,' he said.
He said the main responsibility for the project now lies with the federal government, particularly in issuing the notice to proceed.
On traffic management during the LRT construction phase, Chow said it will involve occupying parts of existing roads.
'It is important for contractors to ensure that any occupied road space is replaced by widening the road or using wide areas to maintain the same number of lanes,' he said.
He cited the highway construction in Bandar Baru Air Itam, where land adjacent to the site was acquired to ensure two-lane traffic could continue to operate smoothly.
Asked about the possibility of congestion charges in Penang, Chow said there are no plans for this at the moment.
He acknowledged it may be listed in the PTMP as a potential strategy to address traffic congestion, but the state has yet to consider implementing it.
The RM10.5 billion LRT line spans 29.5km, with 21 stations connecting the island's south to the northeast and linking the island to the mainland.
