CONSTRUCTION work on the Ringgits 13bn ($US 2.88bn) Mutiara Line LRT project is now able to start, after project developer Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp) issued an approval notice to main contractor SRS Consortium on July 15.
A groundbreaking ceremony took place in January for the 29.5km elevated light metro line that will link Silicon Island with Penang Sentral, via Penang International Airport, serving 21 stations.
Local media outlet The Star reports that Penang chief minister, Chow Kon Yeow, confirmed the approval notice in a statement on July 17. "With this, the construction process will commence as planned, including the relocation of utilities, road widening, piling and site establishment works along approved segments of the Mutiara Line alignment,” he said.
Chow said that work would proceed at various locations along the route where approvals had already been secured from the relevant authorities, and added that the state government is now awaiting the outcome of the tender process for two remaining packages: the turnkey contractor for package CMC2, covering the section from Macallum to Penang Sentral, and the rail systems package for the entire line.
"This year has seen several significant developments for the project, including the groundbreaking ceremony at the Bandar Sri Pinang station site, the appointment of SRS as the turnkey contractor for package CMC1 in January, and now, the issue of the notice,” Chow said.
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