Chow dismisses LRT cost claims

GEORGE TOWN: Penang has dismissed claims that the cost of the Komtar-Bayan Lepas light rail transit (LRT) project has escalated.

State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the RM8.4bil cost included construction, land acquisition and other expenses for Phase 1, while the RM7bil quoted earlier excluded a land acquisition cost of RM1bil.

He said the estimated construction cost of the LRT project differed from the LRT3 project in the Klang Valley due to its unique features.

“There are more stations per km for our LRT. We have about 1km per station, compared with LRT3’s 1.4km distance per station,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Chow was responding to Penang MCA Youth chief Datuk Michael Lee who wanted the state to explain why the cost of the Komtar-Bayan Lepas LRT had risen to RM8.4bil.

Lee also asked if the new estimate meant that the cost per kilometre of the project would be higher than that of the LRT3.

“The LRT3 is 37km with 2km underground and one underground station. The cost is RM9bil,” said Lee.

Chow said the construction estimate of the Penang project was based on preliminary studies.

“The actual cost can only be determined when the work packages are tendered out. To compare the cost of the two projects is not constructive and only serves to confuse the public,” he said.

The expressway and LRT are part of the Penang Transport Master Plan touted as a “five-in-one public transport solution involving highways, LRT, monorails, water taxis, buses, taxis and cable cars”.