GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has approved a new alignment for the North Coastal Paired Road (NCPR) from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang, with an estimated cost of RM2.43 billion, which aims to reduce travel time and ease traffic congestion along the existing route.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said Package 1, under the major roads and Penang third link (PMRT) component, is currently being implemented by Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZC), involving a 10.61-kilometre (km) stretch that covers 8.41 km of main road and 2.2 km of coastal road.
“The route begins at the Jalan Lembah Permai junction in Tanjung Bungah, running along the coastal section past the Floating Mosque before reconnecting with the main road near Shamrock Beach. It will link Batu Ferringhi and end at Teluk Bahang.
“The new alignment was chosen to avoid densely populated residential areas in certain locations, and about 70 per cent of the road will go through the hills,” he told a press conference at Komtar today.
Chow said the state government will fund parts of the construction of a 4.88km section from Jalan Tanjung Bungah to Jalan Sungai Emas through a land swap arrangement with CZC while CZC will finance the remaining 5.73km stretch through a contra agreement based on future developments in Penang.
The estimated cost of land acquisition is RM500 million, with the final construction costs for both sections to be determined upon completion of detailed design plans.
Chow said construction is expected to begin next year and will take about five years to complete, adding that an amendment to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study is required for the new coastal section, while approval for the main road section has already been obtained.
A sub-agreement will be signed once the detailed design, expected to take six months, is finalised, he said.
“The alternative route from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang is expected to reduce travel time from 30 to 40 minutes to just seven minutes. It will also enhance accessibility to key tourism destinations, including Teluk Bahang, Batu Ferringhi and George Town,” Chow added.
PMRT is a major infrastructure initiative under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing congestion in the state.
Package 2, also known as the Air Itam Bypass to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, was the first to begin construction and has already achieved over 73 per cent completion.
