Public inspection for proposed Bayan Lepas LRT project scheduled mid-August

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THE Penang government is planning to kick-start the public inspection (PI) for the proposed Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit (LRT) project in mid-August.

 

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state was working towards having the PI held in mid-August and for it to run for three months.

 

“As the project proponent, the state is taking the project to its next phase which is the PI.

 

“This is following the conditional approval obtained from the Ministry of Transport (MoT) for the Bayan Lepas LRT and pursuant to Section 84 of the Land Public Transport Act 2010.

 

“The Penang government is required to deposit plans, sections and a book of reference for the PI. The PI is a binding requirement imposed by the MoT through the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) before the Railway Scheme receives its final approval,” Chow told a press conference at The TOP in Komtar today.

 

Chow said the inspection time, date and venue would be announced via major newspapers soon.

 

“The display will be held at three permanent locations in Penang – Komtar, Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) building in Bandar Perda and the state APAD office.

 

“It will also be displayed at the APAD headquarters in Putrajaya.

 

“Besides the three permanent locations, the public can also view the display at six mobile booths; to be set up at various public spaces such as shopping malls and transport hubs. The mobile booths will be put up at places especially along the proposed LRT alignment. We will be holding the PI at the locations that are approved by APAD.

 

“We encourage the public to make full use of the three-month display to study and provide us with their constructive feedback so that the Bayan Lepas LRT project can take off with a good start and ends with providing better service to the public,” he said.

 

Chow welcomes the public to participate in the public inspection for the proposed Bayan Lepas LRT project.

 

Chow said the public and stakeholders would be able to submit their feedback and that the state would ensure that the feedback submission process includes via online and hardcopy.

 

“The feedback will be complied, with recommendation for improvements, and submitted to the MoT through APAD,” he said.

 

Chow added that the PI would not be the last engagement with the public.

 

“We will continue to engage the public during the process of construction so that accurate information can be disseminated,” he said.

 

Chow said that the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) website is currently being revamped to make it more informative.

 

“A Complaint Management System is also being developed to ensure that concerns and feedback are appropriately attended.

 

“We hope that Penangites can stand with us as we deliver the project for a greater Penang,” he said.

 

Chow (third from left), State Secretary Datuk Seri Farizan Darus (second from left), state executive council members Soon Lip Chee (left), Phee Boon Poh (third from right) and Chong Eng (in purple), together with SRS Consortium project director Szeto Wai Loong (right) looking at the proposed Bayan Lepas LRT alignment after the press conference.

 

On a similar matter, Chow said the state has not received the official letter of the conditional approval.

 

“We were told by the minister that APAD will be issuing the letter to the state, together with the 30 conditions.

 

“Currently, we do not know what the 30 conditions are.

 

“As usual, we will announce it after we receive the letter and the said conditions,” Chow said.

 

According to the media statement by the MoT on July 17, the proposed 29.9km-long Bayan Lepas LRT project consists of 27 LRT stations located along the LRT alignment from Komtar to Bayan Lepas.

 

 

Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Law Suun Ting
Video by Chan Kok Kuan