Mutiara LRT Issues Resolved , Earthworks Commencing Soon

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, announced that all outstanding issues regarding the Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project between the federal and Penang governments have been resolved amicably.

This confirmation followed a meeting chaired by Loke with Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow at the Transport Ministry in Putrajaya the previous month, where they addressed and resolved remaining matters, notably including the provision of a release letter from the state government.

“Physical work will begin shortly, in one or two months. So we ask them (the state government) to ensure there is a traffic diversion plan when piling work and construction begins to ensure the project doesn’t have a negative impact on road congestion,” he said.

The proposed 29.5km Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, estimated to cost RM10.5 billion, features 21 stations and aims to connect the southern region of the island to the northeast, with a link to Penang Sentral in Butterworth on the mainland.

Meanwhile, on Rapid Penang On-Demand service by Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd (Rapid Bus), Loke stated that it is currently operating successfully with 50 vans covering 13 zones in Penang, including six in Seberang Perai and seven on the island.

“The average daily users stand at 1,944 people, with an average of 39 passengers per van daily and an average travel time of 16 minutes and a waiting time of 19 minutes,” he said, adding that there were 150 additional drivers to handle the vans to ensure smooth operations and that passengers would enjoy a fare of RM1 per trip.