GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government today denied claims that the locations for its proposed Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations were ill-planned.
State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said each LRT station location had been carefully examined and evaluated.
Chow said the state government had conducted numerous workshops and consultations involving state agencies and relevant stakeholders to decide on the locations of the LRT stations.
He said among the criteria for the locations suitability were public accessibility, integration with future lines, constructability as well as other factors.
“For example, the original site of the Penang International Airport station was moved to its present location (a few hundred meters away) to accommodate the airport’s expansion plans, which is currently underway by Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB).
“The state government is working closely with MAHB to ensure the nearest possible distance between the station and airport.
“Further engagement with MAHB will be organised when approval is obtained to ensure a comfortable walk and smooth integration with the airport’s existing and new terminal,” he told newsmen here today.
Chow was responding to state MCA and Gerakan's calls for the state government to provide a detailed explanation on the choice of locations for the LRT stations for the Komtar to Bayan Lepas route.
State MCA secretary Tang Heap Seng had questioned whether the state government planned the locations of the stations for the convenience of the people, or for the profit of the project contractors, as some stations were deemed too close, while others were far from densely-populated areas.
He had said the stations’ locations should have been planned with comprehensive coordination to ensure that the people could enjoy the facility, thus reducing traffic congestion.
The LRT proposal falls under the state government’s highly-ambitious RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), which also includes Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and several highways, aiming to address the state’s traffic woes.
The state government plans to fund the project through land reclamation off the southwestern coast of the island, as well as through a bridging loan from a bank in China.
Chow said the state MCA and Gerakan may submit their input and concerns on the proposed LRT stations' locations during the three-month public inspection for the preliminary railway scheme, when conditional approval is obtained from the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
“We would appreciate it if the state MCA and Gerakan discuss with their counterparts in Putrajaya to speed up the approval process for the public inspection to be carried out," he added.