GEORGE TOWN: The proposed three paired roads project in the multi-billion ringgit Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) will cut across 21 rivers, 35 sensitive areas and 54 areas with noise impact.
State Public Works committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the roads, which were about 20km in length, would take about seven years to complete.
He said construction work would kick off with package two – from Air Itam to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (LCE) – by the first quarter of next year.
Package one is from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang (also known as the North Coast Paired Road). Package three is from Jalan Pangkor-Gurney Drive junction to LCE.
“The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the three paired roads project were approved in November last year, with 59 conditions that the contractor needs to meet,” he said today.
“These conditions are typical requirements in construction projects to minimise impact.
“If the contractor does not meet any of the conditions in the EIA approval, the relevant authorities can stop the project at any time until they are satisfied with mitigating measures taken or take legal action.”
Present were PTMP Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) chief Datuk Lim Hock Seng, Consortium Zenith Construction (CZC) senior executive director Datuk Lee Chee Hoe and YES Enviro Services Sdn Bhd consultant team leader Dr Lee Aik Heng.
The paired roads project will be undertaken by CZC, with the proposed undersea tunnel project at a cost of RM6.3 billion.
Lim revealed that package three would feature a double-deck tunnel leading from Gurney Drive to Pangkor Road and an underground tunnel as Jalan Pangkor was too narrow.
He said there would be two layers, one for incoming traffic and another layer for outgoing traffic.
“The underground tunnel will emerge along Jalan Sungai Pinang. The two-tier format will be retained from Jalan Sungai Pinang due to inadequate width to support the projected traffic,” he said, adding that 50 per cent of package three would be elevated roads, while the rest would comprise grade level roads and the tunnel.
Lee said a tunnel boring machine would be acquired for this purpose as blasting was not suitable.
On package two, with its elevated feature, Lee noted that parts of the hills along the planned route would be cleared.
“We will conduct hill slope stabilisation works on the hills during construction,” he added, stressing that works would begin on both ends of the project, in Air Itam and along Jalan Yeap Chor Ee.
Package one will require hill cutting, he said.