Mutiara LRT Line

Penang Mutiara LRT Line (AI-Generated Image)

Mutiara LRT Line is a planned Light Rail Transit line for Penang State. It is the first route of the Penang Rapid Transit Network planned under the Penang Transport Master Plan.

The Mutiara LRT Line line will cover a distance of 29 km and will have 20 stations, including two interchange stations as Komtar and Penang Sentral. The route will stretch from Silicon Island to Komtar, and then continue to Penang Sentral.

According to Transport Minister Anthony Loke, the federal government would take over the oversight of the Mutiara LRT Line from the state government. Construction is slated to start at the fourth quarter of 2024, and the line is expected to be operational in 2030.

The federal government has appointed Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp), which is owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc) as the project developer and asset owner. The project is divided into three main components of which, Segment 1, which is the route from Silicon Island to Komtar, has been awarded to SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd (SRS) based on the appointment of SRS by the Penang State Government as the project delivery partner of the Penang Transport Master Plan, which includes the LRT line, back in August 2015.

According to news report on 29 March 2024, the Pesta Site in Sungai Nibong will house the rolling stock operations depot. The Penang State Government has suggested another depot to be built on the Silicon Island. After the initial line from Silicon Island to Komtar, the next phase is to extend the line from Komtar to Tanjong Bungah.

At time of previous update (April 2016), stations that have been confirmed are those at Komtar, SPICE, the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone and the Penang International Airport. Back then, construction was expected to start in 2018, and the project was slated to cost RM4.5 billion. The actual routing was first unveiled on 2 March, 2016 and made official on 6 April, 2016⁶.

Map of Mutiara LRT Line

Stations on the Mutiara Line LRT Line

The following stations have been proposed for the Mutiara Line LRT, exclusing stations to be built on the three southern reclaimed islands.

Updates on the Mutiara Line LRT Line

29 June 2024
The Star reports Transport Minister Anthony Loke saying that the alignment for the Penang Mutiara Light Rail Transit line has been finalised. The Penang government agreed with the alignment proposed by MRT Corp, with the passenger station starting from Bayan Lepas to Komtar, and one line to Butterworth (Penang Sentral). Pulau Silikon serves as a depot. Loke hopes that physical works can start before the end of the year as scheduled.

7 May 2024
The route of the Mutiara LRT Line has been adjusted. Among the major changes include the numbering of the stations now start from South to North, beginning with the Silicon Island Terminus (S01), and culminating with the Penang Sentral Terminus (S22). Two stations were scrapped namely the Bandar Sri Pinang and SkyCab LRT Stations, while three were added, namely the Sungai Pinang, Solok Sungai Pinang and Jalan Gurdwara stations. The Macallum LRT station will be the last station on Penang Island before the LRT crosses the sea by bridge to terminate at the Penang Sentral Terminus (S22).

30 March 2024 New Straits Times reports mixed reactions from Penang civil society groups to LRT, with Sahabat Alam Malaysia president saying the government should have reviewed the LRT project, given its huge cost and inflated projection of usage, while I, as co-founder of AnakPinang, welcomed Transport Minister Anthony Loke's announcement on the LRT project.

Mixed reaction from Penang civil society groups to LRT

29 March 2024
Free Malaysia Today reports that Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook announced today that the Cabinet has approved the Penang LRT project, and has appointed MRT Cort as the project developer and asset owner. The Penang LRT is slated for completion in 2030. The project will be split into three components, the first of which being the line between Silicon Island and Komtar. SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd is offered the contract through the single sourcing request for proposal mechanism.

18 August 2023
Free Malaysia Today reports Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow saying that his government has agreed to have some of the LRT stations underground instead of elevated. Chow said this following the latest presentation by the transport ministry and MRT Corp, and that the underground sections would be in the city centre of George Town. One of these underground staitons would serve as the interchange for the future undersea train line connecting Penang Island and Seberang Perai.

17 July 2023
Free Malaysia Today reports transport minister Loke Siew Fook saying that the unity government could greenlight an LRT project that would connect Penang Island with mainland Seberang Perai.

25 October 2022
Buletin Mutiara reports Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow saying that the Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit (LRT) project should go as planned it they follow the timeline. Eight submissions have been received from local and international consortiums, said state transport and infrastructure committee chairmain, Zairil Khir Johari. Chow told reporters that they are yet to finalise the acquiring of land and hope to get things done according to their timeline. 20 July 2022
Buletin Mutiara reports that the Penang government has initiated the pre-qualification process for the Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit's Request For Proposal. Corporations that are shortlisted after the pre-qualification process will be invited to participate in the Request For Proposal (RFP) of the Mutiara Line LRT. The pre-qualification will run from 25 July to 24 August. After the closing date, assessment of the interested corporations will take place from 25 August until 8 September. More details on penanginfra.com.

21 August, 2019
The public may now view the planned route of the Mutiara Line LRT at 10 different locations in Penang. This will be open for a 3-month period up to 19 November 2019. Construction is expected to start in 2020.

Mutiara Line LRT route

18 July, 2018
The Ministry of Transport offers the Penang State Government conditional approval for the Mutiara Line LRT. The project is estimated to cost RM8.4billion and to stretch some 29.9km.

9 November, 2018
Malay Mail reports Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh saying that the first phase of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) will proceed as planned after obtaining the relevant approvals. This includes conducting social impact assessment (SIA) before the projects are implemented.

12 August, 2018
Support Penang Transport Master Plan FB Page reports that approvals from the federal authorities for the Mutiara Line LRT and Penang South Reclamation (PSR) are expected to be obtained before the end of 2018!

26 August, 2017
The Star reports (Nation, page 17: Parties weigh in on state LRT plan) Penang MCA and Gerakan coming up with a list of possible improvements for the Mutiara Line LRT plan. These include the location of the Penang International Airport LRT Station, which is deemed to far from the airport terminal, and the East Jelutong LRT Station, which has too contrained car parking area. Details on the Mutiara Line LRT can be viewed at doe.gov.my, penang.gov.my, pgmasterplan.penang.gov.my and ere.com.my/bllrt.

17 April, 2016
The Star reports on a briefing session was organized at Sunshine Square to listen to the opinion of stakeholders in the Bayan Baru constituency. SRS Consortium project director Azmi Mohamad provided the briefing on the proposed LRT line. During the session, Bayan Baru Community Hawkers Association chairman Ooi Teong Eng urged that the LRT line be aligned to pass through inner Bayan Baru, for the benefit of hawkers and business complexes located there. SJK(C) Kwang Hwa school board chairman Chuah Choon Bin expressed concern over the proximity of the LRT line to the school, as it may leave a negative impact on the school building over the long term. He proposed that the alignment be revised to pass by Queensbay Mall instead.

2 December, 2015
SRS Consortium, which is entrusted to realize the Mutiara Line LRT line, states that the LRT will start at its terminus at Komtar and end at the Penang International Airport¹, over a distance of approximately 20km. The Star quotes "reliable sources" that Gamuda Bhd, IJM Corp Bhd and a Chinese company have been shortlisted to undertake the project, which will be built following the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) concept. The Penang LRT is a component of the RM27 billion Penang Transport Master Plan that includes a 25-kilometer expressway linking Bayan Lepas with Tanjong Bungah, Funding for the project will come in the form of land reclamation rights to the awarded party or parties.

The successful partner will get the right to reclaim 1,618 hectares of land, either on the southern part of Penang Island, of which 485 hectares are to be earmarked for the expansion of the Penang International Airport and Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, or a 607-hectare stretch from the Penang Bridge to the mouth of Sungai Pinang.

References

Penang Rapid Transit Lines and Penang Transport Master Plan

Rapid Transit Lines

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