PPC supports Penang undersea tunnel project

GEORGE TOWN (April 1): The Penang Port Commission (PPC) and Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) welcome the desire of the Penang government to implement the Third Link Project or undersea tunnel under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).

PPC chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng said PPC and PPSB welcomed the Third Link Project, nonetheless, the growth and viability of Penang Port should be given emphasis in the interest of Penang.

"PPC gives its full support to implement the Third Link Project, similarly the viability and potential of Penang Port to continue expanding in future should be given emphasis,” he said in a statement here Thursday (March 31).

Tan said the Third Link Project is aimed at providing a more effective traffic network system for the island.

Nonetheless, he said the alignment of the project is north of North Butterworth Container Terminal  (NBCT), which is the only port installation handling containers in Penang.

"PPC has given its comments to the state government on March 23 and the stand of PPSB on the Third Link Project, despite a change in government,” he said.

Tan said PPC also recommended that the relocation of the artificial island in the Third Link Project in Bagan Ajam be considered to move closer to the coast to avoid disrupting NBCT’s daily operations and obstructing the extension of NBCT berths in the future.

On March 11, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the Penang government has yet to finalise any decision on the feasibility study of the undersea tunnel project tabled at the State Executive Council in February.

The feasibility study on the undersea tunnel began in December 2014 and should have been completed in 2016, was postponed due to various factors and the Penang government has not rejected the possibility of building a bridge as the third link between the island to replace the tunnel.

The construction of the 6.5-kilometre undersea tunnel and three roads were among the projects in PTMP, valued at RM46 billion.

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