PUTRAJAYA - The construction of Penang’s first light rail transit (LRT) project will begin by the fourth quarter of 2024, said Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke on March 29.

He added that the Penang LRT Mutiara Line project has been officially taken over by the federal government and is estimated to take six years, with completion expected in 2030.

“We expect physical works can start at least by the fourth quarter (of 2024),” he told reporters at the ministry’s office on March 29.

The contracts for the LRT project have been divided into three main components, he said.

Mr Loke said SRS Consortium has been offered the contract for the first segment after a single sourcing request for proposal.

The other two remaining contracts will be offered on an open tender basis.

“The offer (to SRS Consortium) was made based on the request by the Penang state government, which had appointed SRS as the project delivery partner of the Penang Transportation Master Plan, which comprises the Penang LRT Mutiara Line, through an open tender in August 2015,” Mr Loke said.

He added that the Malaysian Cabinet has agreed to appoint MRT as the developer and asset owner of the new train line.

MRT is a Malaysian state-owned enterprise that is also in charge of operating the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit Link, as well as the Putrajaya and Kajang lines on the Klang Valley mass rapid transit project.

Mr Loke said that the rolling stock operations depot and transit-oriented development projects for the Penang project will be conducted by MRT together with the state government.

“The new strategy aims to generate extra non-fare revenue to be reinvested for train maintenance in the future,” he added.

Stretching about 29km, the Penang LRT Mutiara Line will be equipped with 20 stations, including two interchange stations in Komtar on the island and Penang Sentral in Butterworth.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK