BY 2030, Penang could potentially experience a decrease in the number of cars on the roads, particularly during peak working hours.
This is following the good news that Transport Minister Anthony Loke shared recently that the construction of Penang’s first light rail transit (LRT) project will begin by the fourth quarter of this year.
Commenting further was Bagan MP and former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was full of praise for the unity government, particularly the Transport Ministry, for expediting the much-anticipated infrastructure project in Penang.
During a media conference at his Air Putih service centre earlier this afternoon, Lim said the Penang LRT would not only help ease the traffic congestion but would also generate economic growth in the state.
Meanwhile, Loke, in his announcement recently, added that the Penang LRT Mutiara Line project has been officially taken over by the Federal Government and is estimated to take six years, with completion slated for by 2030.
The contracts for the LRT project have been divided into three main components – the Silicon Island to Komtar contract (Segment 1), the Komtar to Penang Sentral contract (Segment 2) and the turn-key systems and rolling stocks contract.
SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd as the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), has been offered the Segment 1 contract based on the Single-Sourcing Request for Proposal mechanism.
Loke expressed hopes for negotiations to be completed with SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd in the next six months before physical works could start in the fourth quarter of this year.
Story and pix by Kevin Vimal