Jagdeep: It’s about time for Penang airport expansion

GEORGE TOWN: The state government opted for the expansion of the Penang International Airport (PIA) rather than build a new one on reclaimed land in the south as it could not afford to delay the project.

State Local Government Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the State Planning Committee (SPC) in a meeting in March indicated that a new airport could be built on a reclaimed island off Batu Maung.

“However, current events had superseded such a suggestion, and we have to move fast to cater to the increased capacity and go ahead with the PIA expansion, ” said Jagdeep in announcing the expansion of PIA at the Implementation and Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister’s Department office in Wisma Boustead here yesterday.

The Star had reported that the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) had given the green light to Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to go ahead with the expansion, which would increase the present passenger capacity from six million to 12 million passengers. He said MBPP had approved the planning permission for PIA’s expansion on Dec 3, adding that the project was expected to kick off in March next year.

Jagdeep said a bigger northern corridor international airport that could cater to the three northern states of Penang, Kedah and Perlis could be considered in the future.

Consultant architect AHS Architects Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Abu Hassan Salleh, who was also present, said the expansion would increase the terminal’s gross floor area to 113,005sq m from 54,582sq m.

“The new design will have the capacity to accommodate 12 million passengers per year, while the two-way passenger peak-hour capacity will increase to 4,391 from 2,553 currently and would be able to accommodate 25 commercial aircraft.

“The Air Traffic Control Tower, Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, Meteorological Station, the Airport Fire Rescue Service station and aviation apron will be relocated to the new terminal with the number of parking bays to be increased to 1,800 bays from 1,218 at present, ” he said.

Abu Hassan said the estimated cost of the project, to be completed in 2024, was RM800mil, but it could be higher due to the demolishing and rebuilding of certain structures of the airport building.

“While we are looking at the gridlock and congestion as the work progresses, it could be controlled, as work on the main terminal will only be in the last phase, ” he added, when asked if the congestion would get worse during the expansion.

PIA has been bursting at its seams for some time, where it surpassed its maximum annual capacity of 6.5 million passengers middle of this year. The present PIA is the country’s oldest airport, having been built in 1935 when Penang was part of the British-ruled Straits Settlement.

It underwent a major upgrade in 1979 to accommodate Boeing 747s, then the largest planes in the world. The terminal saw two significant facelifts in 2009 and 2013.