Zairil: No decision on Penang undersea tunnel

GEORGE TOWN (Oct 13): The Penang government has yet to decide on the implementation of an undersea tunnel from Persiaran Gurney to Bagan Ajam in Seberang Perai. State Transportationa and Infrastructure Committee chairman, Zairil Khir Johari said the undersea tunnel project was one of the work components under the Major Roads and Undersea Tunnel Project in Penang implemented by the concession company, Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn. Bhd. (CZC).

‘’Consideration will be made after the results of an undersea tunnel feasibility study report are finalised by CZC. He said CZC was expected to finalise the feasibility study report in the fourth quarter of 2020.

‘’If the state government decides to implement the undersea tunnel project based on the results of the feasibility study report, an environment impact assessment (EIA) will be provided for the evaluation and approval of the Department of Environment (DOE),’’ he said.

According to Zairil, CZC had submitted a draft report of the undersea tunnel project feasibility study to the state government on Sept, 2019 after it was scrutinised by an independent engineering consultant appointed by the state government.

‘’The draft report is being improved based on comments which were received by stakeholders and is being monitored by the State Government Technical Work Committee in several series of meetings since November 2019,’’ he said. The 7.2 km tunnel project which connects Persiaran Gurney to Bagan Ajam in Seberang Perai is under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).

PTMP is the initiative of the state government at an estimated cost of RM46 billion, encompassing an undersea tunnel connecting the island to the mainland, highways, LRT, monorail and a comprehensive bus route network on the island and mainland.