GEORGE TOWN: The two "missing" tunnels in the RM850mil Air Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass were dropped after engineers reverted to an open-cut design following further geological and safety assessments, says the Penang government.
It said the redesign did not increase the project's cost, with the contractor absorbing all additional expenses under the design-and-build contract.
State infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the project was originally designed using open-cut sections and viaducts before it was changed in 2020 to incorporate tunnels.
After construction progressed, engineers reviewed structural stability and ground conditions, leading them to revert the tunnel sections to the original open-cut design in July last year.
Zairil said the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and PLUS rejected the proposed elevated U-turn near The Light because the available weaving distance did not meet technical requirements.
Instead, a new U-turn was approved at the Penang Bridge interchange after discussions with the two agencies.
"The changes were assessed based on challenging geological conditions, user safety, construction feasibility, and future operational and maintenance requirements.
"All approvals were made following professional evaluations by the engineering consultants and relevant technical agencies, including the Public Works Department's project monitoring team," he said in a statement on Wednesday (July 15).
Responding to Penang MCA's call for an explanation over the apparent disappearance of two planned tunnels and an elevated U-turn, Zairil said design changes were common in design-and-build projects to ensure major infrastructure works met technical and safety requirements.
Zairil said the contract value had neither increased nor decreased as a result of the revisions; the contractor bore the cost of redesign work and increases in construction material prices under the terms of the contract.
He said the adjusted contract value stood at RM851.97mil.
As of June 15, physical progress had reached 91.8%, while certified payments as of Feb 3 totalled RM668.41mil, or 78.54% of the original contract value.
He said of that amount, the state government had completed land swap payments equivalent to 11.6183 acres valued at RM427.66mil, leaving RM240.75mil, equivalent to 6.54 acres, yet to be transferred to the contractor.
On Tuesday (July 14), Penang MCA secretary Yeoh Chin Kah questioned whether the two planned tunnels at Bukit Gambir and Changkat Delima, an elevated U-turn and connecting structures near The Light had been removed from the project.
He had called on the state government to disclose technical drawings, payment records and documents relating to any revisions, and said the party would lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission if the documents were not made public.
For the densely populated Air Itam and Paya Terubong area, this highway is highly anticipated because it will allow motorists to reach Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway without entering George Town's city limits.
The 6km toll-free bypass, known as Package Two of the Penang undersea tunnel and three paired roads project, links Lebuhraya Thean Teik in Bandar Baru Air Itam with the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway via elevated viaducts, tunnels and ground-level roads.
Originally scheduled for completion in 2024, the project has since received two extensions, with the latest completion date set for April 12, 2027.
