A Penang executive councillor today defended the need for the controversial RM2.9 billion North Coastal Paired Road (NCPR), saying traffic jams to Batu Ferringhi had made a second road a “must”, not a luxury.
Zairil Khir Johari said the long-delayed NCPR would provide much needed relief for those travelling between George Town and Teluk Bahang.
The road in question is often congested as it is the only route along the tourist belt.
“Right now, a jam or a fallen tree can cause a standstill. Emergency vehicles can’t get through. People are stuck,” he said in a statement responding to requests for details about the project.
The NCPR will stretch 10.61km from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang and includes a 2.2km sea viaduct.
In its new iteration earlier this year, it was realigned to avoid residential areas which would see the road elevated along the coast and above the sea.
Once built, the road will reduce peak travel time from 30 to 45 minutes to just seven minutes, Zairil said.
However, he said the project was still in the early stages and that the technical design would take at least six months to finish.
Zairil said after that, an amended environmental impact assessment would be needed, which would take another 1.5 years. He said construction is expected to begin in 2026 and finish by 2031.
He said the RM2.9 billion project includes RM500 million for land costs.
State-owned land can be worked on once a new deal with the contractor, Consortium Zenith Construction, is signed. But acquiring private land may take another six to 12 months, he said.
Zairil, the transport exco, said the road was not just about easing traffic congestion.
“It will also open up jobs and growth along the coast. This is about making Penang liveable and ready for the future,” he said.
The road is part of the Penang undersea tunnel and three main roads projects worth a total of RM6.3 billion. The proposed tunnel is still going through a feasibility study and has yet to begin construction.
In March, Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state took public concerns seriously and would ensure that the road is designed with safety in mind.
This followed warnings from experts and NGOs about the risks of building the road on fragile hill slopes.
