29-3-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke disclosed on March 29 that the construction of Penang’s inaugural light rail transit (LRT) project is slated to kick off by the fourth quarter of 2024.
Loke further stated that the Penang LRT Mutiara Line project has been officially assumed by the federal government and is anticipated to span six years, with a projected completion date of 2030.
“We anticipate that physical groundwork can commence at least by the fourth quarter of 2024,” Loke informed journalists at the ministry’s headquarters on March 29.
He delineated that the contracts for the LRT initiative have been categorised into three principal components.
Loke elucidated that the SRS Consortium has been extended an offer for the contract pertaining to the first segment subsequent to a solitary sourcing request for proposal.
The remaining two contracts will be tendered through an open bidding process.
“The offer to SRS Consortium was extended based on the request from the Penang state government, which had designated SRS as the project delivery partner for the Penang Transportation Master Plan, encompassing the Penang LRT Mutiara Line, following an open tender in August 2015,” Loke expounded.
Additionally, he mentioned that the Malaysian Cabinet has sanctioned the appointment of MRT as the developer and asset proprietor of the new railway line.
MRT, a Malaysian government-owned entity, is entrusted with overseeing the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit Link, along with the Putrajaya and Kajang lines as part of the Klang Valley mass rapid transit project.
Loke affirmed that MRT, in collaboration with the state government, will undertake the rolling stock operations depot and transit-oriented development ventures for the Penang project.
“The new approach aims to generate supplementary non-fare revenue to be reinvested for future train maintenance,” he appended.
Spanning approximately 29km, the Penang LRT Mutiara Line will feature 20 stations, inclusive of two interchange stations located at Komtar on the island and Penang Sentral in Butterworth.
