Blueprints for third Penang bridge project will only be submitted if govt gives nod

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will only submit blueprints for a proposed third Penang bridge if an approval in principle is given by the federal administration for the project.

State Works, Utilities and Transportation Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng said the approval in principle is subject to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) approval for the bridge.

"Only then can we prepare the feasibility studies and other necessary bridge blueprints," he said in a statement today and appealed to Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof to do the needful.

Lim was responding to Urban Wellbeing, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan who chided Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to expect federal approval sans blueprints.
He said paying for the plans should not be an issue as the state had paid RM305million for a study on the proposed undersea tunnel to link the island and the mainland.

Hock Seng however blew off Abdul Rahman's criticism, pointing out the feasibility study for the tunnel was RM20million and also ticked off a Sin Chew columnist for continuing to harp on the RM305million figure.

He said preparing blueprints for the proposed third bridge could cost up to RM10million and that there must be full justification and accountability for such money spent.

"The Penang state government wishes to stress that the tunnel project was awarded by open competitive tender at the price of RM3.7 billion and not RM6.3 billion," he added.

Hock Seng said the third bridge proposal showed the state was willing to substitute the tunnel with a bridge as traffic volumes by year 2027 are expected to rise.

"... the third Penang Bridge will be self-financed by the state government without requiring a single cent from the federal government," he added.