CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said it would be foolish to carry out such a project given the Penang Island City Council’s (MBPP) move to increase assessment rates next year in order to raise RM54 million.
“The cost has doubled to RM55 million with compensation to 20 landowners who will receive over RM20 million.
“Why pay out millions at the expense of ratepayers in Penang for unwarranted projects when better, cost-effective solutions are out there?” he said in a statement.
He added that the city council would be able to save RM55 million while reducing its proposed assessment rate increase if it cancelled the project.
“The city council should not waste ratepayers’ money on bad solutions to traffic congestion,” he said.
He was responding to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow who recently said in the state assembly that the project was the “best option” to resolve traffic woes in the area.
At present, Mohideen said, the traffic flow at the project site is mostly good except during rush hour. Even with heavy traffic, the waiting time to access Burmah Road is usually less than 10 minutes, he added.
“What is needed is better management of the traffic light system and stricter enforcement against congestion caused during school opening and closing hours, which will cost next to nothing,” he said.
He also said that those living in northern towns such as Tanjung Tokong and Batu Ferringhi would lose their only alternate route home if the project is carried out.
He asked if MBPP had done a detailed traffic study on the situation, and if so, for it to be made public.
The Penang government has defended the underpass project, saying it will meet future traffic demands as there are 10,000 new housing units in the Mount Erskine, Fettes and Lembah Permai area.
At the state assembly last week, state Local Government Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the number of vehicles in the area is expected to rise by 4.15% a year, with at least 8,500 vehicles a day by 2024 when the underpass is expected to be ready.
MBPP expects the project to begin by 2020 or 2021, depending on land acquisition issues.
The project will involve the widening of a 700m stretch from Wright junction off Burmah Road to Mount Erskine Road. It includes the construction of a short underpass connecting Mount Erskine to Burmah Road beneath the Gottlieb-Bagan Jermal cross-junction.