GEORGE TOWN: THE much anticipated Penang Hill multi-storey car park project will not be ready by year’s end.
This will be the third time the
multi-million ringgit project is delayed since last year.
The car park, located near the entrance of the Hill Railway Lower Station, is now expected to be opened to the public in February next year.
Developer Penang Development Corporation (PDC) has announced that construction, which is about 75 per cent completed, would be extended to the end of October.
PDC deputy general manager II Hartini Ali said the car park would only be opened to public three months after it is completed, after obtaining the certificate of fitness.
“The basic building structure is now completed.
“However, the architectural finishes, the external works and the mechanical and electrical works are yet to be completed,” she said.
Hartini said the rainy weather of late had delayed work on the building facade, with plastering and painting yet to be undertaken.
“The contractor had trouble laying the glass panels on the front portion of the building, and could not carry out the drainage works due to the weather,” she said.
Hartini said the contractor has been given up to Sept 25 to complete the project or risk a daily penalty of RM5,000.
“This fine is as stipulated in the conditions of contract for failing to deliver the project to PDC on time.
“The contractor has agreed to vacate the site if they failed to complete the project by Oct 31,” she said.
Hartini said a third party would be then appointed if the present contractor failed to complete the project and the costs would be borne by the contractor.
“We expect the obtain the certificates of completion and compliance from the authorities three months after the project is officially completed. The car park would
be most likely be opened to public by January or February next
year,” she said.
This is the third time the project has been extended. The last extension was in May this year after it failed to meet a Nov 25, 2013 deadline.
The extension was given after contractors discovered an underground boulder which had to be broken down using chemicals as explosives could not be used due to the site’s proximity to homes.