Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said if the tunnels along a 10km stretch were not part of the proposed Pan Island Link 1 (PIL 1) highway, the entire Air Itam town would be affected if an elevated highway was built instead.
Many of the houses would need to be cleared for the project, he told reporters at the state assembly today.
“If we swung to Air Itam, we will have to clear most of the town.”
Chow said the 10km route through the hills would not be a continuous tunnel but will be punctuated by viaducts and elevated structures for the convenience of motorists.
He also responded to The Star’s report saying the trustees of the Kek Lok Si temple, a famous tourist attraction in Air Itam, were jittery as the highway would come too close to the temple.
He said the temple’s trustees need not worry as the highway would at least be 500m away.
Chow said the project delivery partner, SRS Consortium, would get in touch with the temple soon to alleviate their fears.
“We welcome all sorts of feedback and comments regarding the PIL. And like I have said before, the project is a proposal.
“There is no approval, no contract, and no agreement signed. Construction has not started.
“We will continue to talk to the communities that might be affected by this project.
“If it is required, we will continue to extend the viewing period of the plans for further deliberations.”
Non-governmental organisations had responded with trepidation over the proposed six-lane PIL 1, which will connect Gurney Drive in the northeast portion of the island to the south of the island, close to the airport.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on display showed at least 700kg of explosives would be used to “drill and blast” the tunnels through the hillslopes of the Penang Hill range. NGOs say the amount of explosives used was conservative and it could be more.
Some groups say the tunnelling would also impact the state’s aim to get the Unesco Biosphere Reserve status for Penang Hill.
Chow said while he took note of the concerns by NGOs, the more important matter at hand was to mitigate the impact from the project.
He said the highway was a necessity to meet traffic needs for the next 20 to 50 years. Hence, the construction should begin soon.
Touching on the Unesco issue, Chow said many biosphere reserves had major infrastructural projects built in them.
“There have been cable cars, national parks and even hotels. Not to say it cannot be done at all.”
The PIL 1 is part of the Penang Transport Master Plan, a state-initiated project costing an estimated RM46 billion. It features highways, LRT, monorail as well as extensive bus connectivity on both the island and the mainland.
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