‘Penang prefers 3rd bridge to undersea tunnel’

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Undersea Tunnel project will be scrapped provided the Federal Government approves the construction of a third bridge.

State Public Works, Utilities and Public Transportation Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng said the bridge would involve lower construction and maintenance costs.

“We will submit the undersea tunnel feasibility report to the Federal Government as supporting document for the third bridge project. If we receive the nod for the bridge project, then the undersea tunnel project will be scrapped,” he said in response to a written question by Datuk Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong).

Farid had questioned the payment made to parties involved, status of the state land given to the contractor, as well as the status of the proposed third Penang bridge.

Lim revealed that the state government had paid nearly RM220 million for the three paired roads and Penang Undersea Tunnel projects although construction work has yet to begin.

He said RM208.75 million was paid to Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd as contractor of the project while RM11.23 million was paid to HSS Intergrated Sdn Bhd as the independent technical consultant appointed by the government.