Another six months to get approval for Penang Master Plan

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has extended by six months the validity period of the award letter for SRS Consortium, the project delivery partner (PDP), of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) project.
The award letter was to expire by the end of this month but will now be valid until June to allow the PDP more time to obtain the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.
State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the state did not anticipate the long time needed in getting the approvals.
"This is just a technicality and we will continue to extend the award letter until they obtain the necessary approvals from the various authorities for the project," he said in a press conference yesterday when asked about the issue.
The RM27 billion PTMP is an ambitious undertaking to link Penang Island and the mainland with rail transit systems, new highways, trams, rapid bus routes and water taxis.
Funding the project hinges on reclaiming some 1,618ha of land but approval has to come from the federal government as reclaiming more than 100ha must be referred to the National Physical Planning Council.
In April last year, the state submitted plans for a light railway transit (LRT) system linking Komtar and Bayan Lepas to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
The LRT line, a Pan Island Link (PIL) highway and the proposed reclamation are the first phase of the PTMP.
In a related issue, Chow said the public display of the PDP request for proposal (RFP) documents has been extended until Feb 28 at the Dewan Sri Pinang.
He said 70 people have viewed the documents to date and feedback from 13 people, questions and suggestions have been recorded.
"Out of the 13, four suggested the display period should be extended," he said.