ROAD users in Penang must brace themselves for a higher congestion rate as the construction phase for the Mutiara Light Rail Transit (LRT) project begins.
It is a temporary sacrifice, which needs to be endured with the long-term objective of a better traffic system for the state, said Penang executive councillor for infrastructure, Zairil Khir Johari.
The Tanjung Bungah assemblyman held a townhall session at the Penang Skills Development Corporation (PSDC) to explain the rollout of the LRT project.
He stressed that the project is designed to be an economic catalyst and to stimulate the public transport sector in the state.
The iconic project will not only ease mobility but stimulate economic growth due to the spillover effects it can generate, while the engineering ability can also pave the way forward towards Penang trying to attain its status as a smart sustainable city, said Zairil.
Despite the elevated level of traffic congestion, Zairil said the project is a game changer for the state and there is a need for a total buy in from all stakeholders here.
"We want to cement a status of a smarter, greener and inclusive state for all."
The townhall session was to clarify any misgivings which the industrialists may have, since the project will pass through the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, a strategic location for the manufacturing hub.
According to Zairil, the initial construction phase will revolve around the transfer of utilities, road expansion, road works and site clearing.
"It starts this month and will be accelerated as the momentum to build the LRT begins."
He also touched on the need for the Sultan Azlan Shah stretch - an important road artery to undergo construction work because there would be soon main LRT stations erected there.
The two stations are the industrial zone north and the industrial zone south.
The project’s main contractor - MRT Corp Sdn Bhd also helped allay fears about the construction fears, citing that the project is on a fast track basis.
SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, who is the project delivery partner, said that the contractors would be responsible in the traffic alternative routes, which are temporary to enable the expansion of the road to accommodate the LRT tracks.
The public can contact the MRT Corp at 1 800 88 6782 or email to [email protected] for queries.
A 2km-section of Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah near the Bayan Baru satellite township and industrial zone will see the three lanes reduced to two.
The roads to be narrowed comprise the stretch from the Jalan Kampung Jawa-Jalan Mahsuri junction to the Jalan Mayang Pasir junction.
The closure of one lane was to facilitate the construction of an overhead track, which would take 38 months to complete.
The LRT is expected to be ready by 2031.
Once completed, the RM16.8 billion Mutiara LRT Line is expected to serve 3,000 passengers per hour per direction initially, increasing to 15,000 passengers per hour by 2060.
The Mutiara Line LRT will span 29km from Silicon Island to Penang Sentral in Butterworth, featuring 21 stations, including a bridge crossing the Penang Channel. – October 3, 2025
