KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 — The light rail transit (LRT) and Pan Island Link 1 (PIL 1) project are set to begin construction in June 2020, according to a report by The Star.

The LRT line will comprise a monorail link, cable cars and water taxis to solve traffic congestion.

It begins from Komtar in the north-east region before ending at island B, one of the three man-made islands proposed under the Penang South reclamation Scheme (PSR).

PIL 1 is a 19.5km highway project connecting Gurney Drive to the Penang International Airport.

Advertisement

Both projects are components of the RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) and are expected to be funded by the sale of the islands.

“We can expect construction work for both projects to start in June 2020,” a source told The Star.

Approval for the PSR to create the three man-made islands totalling 1,821ha (4499 acres) is likely to be given by the end of the month, according to the source.

Advertisement

“Island A will house industrial and residential projects while Island B will accommodate the state administrative offices and commercial properties,” the source told The Star.

“Tesidential properties will be developed on Island C.”

SRS Consortium is the project delivery partner appointed by the government to oversee the implementation of PTMP.

It expects to raise RM46 billion from sale of the islands.

“About 75 per cent of the 1,821ha will be for sale,” the source said.

“Some 30 per cent of the enquiries received so far are for the industrial land.”

The LRT and PIL 1 projects have in the past been met with severe opposition from NGOs such as Penang Forum and Penang Citizen Awareness Chant Group.