Final decision will depend on feasibility study, says Zairil

GEORGE TOWN: Any decision to replace the RM6.3bil undersea tunnel with an elevated bridge will only be made after the release of the feasibility report for the tunnel, says state public works, utilities and flood mitigation committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari.

“A bridge as the third link is a possibility, but nothing has been finalised yet.

“Wait for the feasibility study for the tunnel that is due to be presented to the exco (executive council) in the near future,” he said yesterday.

Zairil said a third link for the state remains on the agenda to help ease traffic congestion.

He added that the other highway projects that are part of the undersea tunnel project under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) will proceed as planned.

“For Package One, the state government is studying alternative alignment options to avoid sensitive areas, while Package Two has commenced,” he said.

Package Two is to build a 5.7km bypass from Ayer Itam to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway. The highway will consist of a 70% elevated section or flyover while the remaining highway will be at grade level.

The other two highway projects are the 4.2km Gurney Drive-Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu bypass and the 12km Tanjung Bungah-Teluk Bahang paired road.

However, Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman said she does not see why the state needs another bridge since it already has two bridges.

“This is what we have been saying all this time, for them to upgrade the ferry service to make it more attractive. The ferry service is also more environmental-friendly,” she said.

Meenakshi said building a tunnel or another bridge would not make good economic sense during the pandemic.