GEORGE TOWN – The state government wants the Penang Port Commission (PPC) to integrate the proposed cross-channel undersea tunnel plan into the North Butterworth Container Terminal’s (NBCT) expansion design if it is serious about supporting the RM6.3 billion project.
State Infrastructure and Transport executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari said while PPC, which comes under the federal government, had expressed support for the project, it had laid out various conditions for the project – which connects Penang island to Seberang Perai – to take off.
He said that among the conditions stated was the proximity of the artificial island that will have the entry and exit points for the tunnel.
“PPC requested that the location of the artificial island be moved closer to the coast to avoid the planned extension of the North Butterworth Container Terminal and the additional pier.
“In addition, PPC also requested that the minimum depth of the tunnel be 23m below sea level,” Zairil said in a statement today.
He said this in response to PPC chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng’s statement yesterday to express support for the state’s proposed third physical link after the two existing bridges.
The tunnel is planned to connect Gurney Drive in George Town to Bagan Ajam in Butterworth.
Zairil said these matters were discussed in-depth during a meeting on March 1, where representatives from PPC and Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) were also present.
PPC, which comes under the Transport Ministry, acts as the regulatory authority over the port, while PPSB which is under the Finance Ministry functions as its operator.
He said that technical consultants explained at the meeting that the alignment of the link, including the artificial island, which is the entrance and exit point of the tunnel, cannot be changed on technical grounds such as the gradient of the tunnel.
“This also means that the 23-metre depth that was also requested by PPC is impossible to achieve around the artificial island area,” he added.
He said PPC, which has just begun planning the port’s expansion, should consider the existing planned alignment that was shared with them since 2015.
“In fact, after the draft feasibility study was completed by the end of 2019, the report was already distributed to all relevant agencies and departments, including PPC,” he said.
“If PPC is truly sincere about supporting the third link project of the state government, then they are the ones who should be integrating the third link design in the NBCT’s port expansion planning, and not the other way around.”
Yesterday, PPC chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng, who is also MCA vice-president, said that both PPC and PPSB will welcome the project in the best interest of Penang.
“But on the same token, the development of the Penang port should also be given priority,” he said.
A civil society has opposed the project on grounds of the damage it may cause to the island’s fragile ecology and its contentious funding in relation to the unpopular Gurney Wharf reclamation project off Gurney Drive.
Despite concerns expressed earlier that the undersea tunnel could disrupt the shipping lanes, Tan said that the PPC now gives its full support.
He added that the PPC recommends that the artificial island be relocated closer to the coast to avoid disrupting the North Butterworth Container Terminal’s daily operations and obstructing the extension of berths.
Tan’s support of the project is seen as a surprise by observers as MCA is a staunch rival to DAP, which is the dominant party in the Penang government. The Transport Ministry is headed by Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, who is MCA president. – The Vibes, April 1, 2022
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