GEORGE TOWN, June 6 — Construction of stations for the Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project is progressing steadily, with station designs currently awaiting approval from the Penang Island City Council (MBPP), which is expected soon.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said pier and viaduct works for the Penang International Airport (LTAPP) Station are underway, with five piers already completed.

At Bandar Sri Pinang Station, foundation works and station columns have been completed, with the project set to enter its main construction phase soon.

“Crosshead components are expected to arrive on site soon. These are large concrete structures installed on top of columns and serve as the main support for the station,” he said in a statement following a visit to both project sites today.

Chow said Bandar Sri Pinang Station is strategically located within a densely developed coastal urban area and near Persiaran Karpal Singh, a hub for lifestyle, commercial, food and beverage activities, making it a key station on the Mutiara Line.

The station will feature access points on both sides of the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, linking nearby residential areas and economic centres.

Meanwhile, the LTAPP Station will be connected to the airport’s new terminal via a pedestrian bridge and is expected to serve as an important international gateway to Penang. It will provide direct links to key destinations, including the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone (FIZ), Komtar and Penang Sentral in Butterworth.

Chow said pier construction is also underway at 14 locations along the alignment, including Permatang Damar Laut, Gelugor, the SPICE Convention Centre area, East Jelutong, Macallum and an area adjacent to Cecil Residensi.

“We expect construction activity to intensify. The implementation of traffic management plans (TMPs) in the Bayan Lepas FIZ and phased lane closures along the 23.7km alignment from Komtar to Pulau Silikon are clear signs that the project has entered its active construction phase,” he said.

Of the three critical areas identified, the first TMP was implemented at the Jalan Tengah–Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah junction in early May, while TMPs for the remaining two areas are scheduled for implementation in the second half of this year.

“As such, the public should be prepared for some traffic inconvenience as the project enters a more active construction phase in the second half of the year,” he said.

The Mutiara Line LRT project, which began construction in 2025 and is expected to commence operations in December 2031, will span about 29.67km and comprise 20 stations and two provisional stations. — Bernama