Chow Kon Yeow (right) with SRS Consortium project manager Julian Yap look at the EIA report for the LRT project in George Town July 21, 2017. — Picture by Opalyn Mok

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Putrajaya will approve Penang’s proposed RM8.4 billion Bayan Lepas light rail transit (LRT) and Penang South Reclamation (PSR) scheme by the end of the year.

The Star reported that the federal bodies approving the two projects are the Department of Environment and Transport Ministry, and its sources say the reclamation project for the three man-made islands will start early next year if everything falls into place.

The LRT, which is expected to begin construction in January 2020, is part of the state government’s RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) together with a monorail, cable car and water taxis.

It will start from Komtar, pass through Jelutong, Gelugor, Bayan Lepas and the Penang International Airport before stopping at the proposed PSR development. which comprises three man-made islands with a total landmass of 1,800 hectares near Teluk Kumbar.

In total, there will be 27 stations along the route. The development also takes into consideration interchanges with other future transportation projects, such as Sky Cab and monorail lines that are still in the works.

It will also cross the channel, connecting Gelugor on the Penang Island to Butterworth’s Penang Sentral transport hub on the mainland.

Project delivery partner SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd will call for a tender next year through a Request for Proposal Exercise.

Sources told the English daily that there are around six or seven companies interested in the transportation project and reclamation work.

It is understood that Scomi Engineering has also proposed a RM6 billion monorail project to the state government, while an unnamed China-based company has proposed the construction of a LRT link costing less than RM6 billion.

SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd is a joint venture involving Gamuda Bhd (60 per cent), Loh Phoy Yen Holdings Sdn Bhd (20 per cent) and Ideal Property Development Sdn Bhd (20 per cent), was appointed by the Penang state government to oversee the project as project delivery partner.