GEORGE TOWN, Oct 1 — SRS Consortium is expected to finalise the alignments for Penang’s RM27 billion Transport Master Plan (TMP) project by the end of the year, state executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow said.

The newly appointed Penang Transport Council (PTC) chairman said the consortium, which was recently awarded the project, has a team of engineers looking into the alignments for the construction of a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and a web of connecting major highways and roads throughout the state covering the areas identified in the TMP.

“We are waiting for them to present the proposed alignments to the state government and the PTC for review before submitting it to the Land Public Transport Commission for the necessary approvals,” Chow told a press conference after the PTC appointment ceremony at Jen’s Hotel here.

The finalised alignments for the LRT, BRT and the major roads will also be presented for public consultation, he added.

Earlier this morning, in his speech at the appointment ceremony, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the TMP is expected to completed by 2030, and will help ensure Penang’s prosperity until 2050.

The TMP is a comprehensive plan that includes five modes of public transport, namely taxis, buses, LRT, cable cars and water taxis.

The project is expected to resolve Penang’s mounting traffic woes.

Today’s re-appointment of the PTC, including new committee members, gives two years for the council to monitor and coordinate the implementation of the TMP and other public transport projects in the state.

There are three major public transport and infrastructure projects planned by SRS Consortium; the undersea tunnel by Consortium Zenith-BUCG Sdn Bhd and the proposed Penang Sky Cab by MRCB Bhd.

Lim said there are two phases for the undersea tunnel project — 1A for the construction of major roads to ease connectivity to the tunnel and 1B for the tunnel itself.

“The feasibility study for 1A is now almost 85 per cent complete while it is about 25 per cent for 1B,” he said.

The feasibility study for 1A is expected to be completed by the first quarter of next year while the study for 1B will still be ongoing, he added.

As for the Penang Sky Cab, Lim said MRCB is now in the planning stages and will be getting the necessary approvals from the relevant agencies such as the Department of Environment and the Penang Port Commission before it starts conducting feasibility studies.

The sky cab project, which connects Penang Central in Butterworth to Jelutong on the island, is expected to start soon and be completed by 2018.