GEORGE TOWN – History was made today when more than 40 heavy construction machinery entered the state to start work on the first project in the RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
The heavy machines are poised to kick-start the second package of the Ayer Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway paired highway, some 10 years after it was first conceived as part of the state's ambitious PTMP.
The deployment of the machinery by what is believed to be a "white knight company" that had assumed a majority stake in the troubled project delivery partner – Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd – marks commencement of the first project under the PTMP.
The heavy machinery was specially brought from Kulim, Kedah, and began the journey to Penang about 9am, heading to the construction site in Bukit Gelugor.
The deployment of the equipment was done in stages until this afternoon.
A company spokesman told The Vibes that piling works will only begin on February 1.
“The entire highway project will involve six sections. The machinery will start work on the first section, which involves land matters.
"For section two and beyond, we are still waiting on the Penang government as it involves unfinished land acquisition," he said.
The spokesman said the land acquisition, which was supposed to be completed last year, was delayed due to the movement control order (MCO).
A majority of the project's site workers are also Malaysians as the developer wanted to help the contractors financially affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"They will undergo Covid-19 screening every two weeks until the project is completed," he said.
Last week, the state government signed an additional agreement with Consortium Zenith Construction on the sub-agreement of package two of the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway to Ayer Itam project.
Ayer Itam is considered the most populous enclave on the island, with many working-class neighbourhoods.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had said the agreement is an important milestone in the state's efforts to continue with the implementation of the three PTMP highways, including in Air Itam.
It will be followed by the mammoth undertaking of a 6.5km undersea tunnel linking Gurney Drive to Bagan Ajam.
The 6km-long paired highway from the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway to Ayer Itam is set to be completed by 2025.
It connects the Thean Teik Highway in Ayer Itam to the expressway.
Package two also includes three intersections (interchanges), namely Interchange One (on Thean Teik Highway), Interchange Two (Jalan Bukit Gambir-Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah) and Interchange Three (Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Highway involving left-in junction, left-out and tiered rounds).
Two other highways in the PTMP are a paired highway from Gurney Drive to the expressway and an alternative road from Tg Bungah to Teluk Bahang. – The Vibes, January 19, 2021
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