We’re committed to getting Penang Hill back in shape, pledges PHC

GEORGE TOWN: Nine months after it was scarred by a massive storm that lashed the state, the iconic Penang Hill is on the mend.

Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) general manager Cheok Lay Leng said three major slope stabilisation projects were expected to begin in mid-September and the tender process was expected to conclude soon.

“We are in the final stages. Unlike on flat surfaces, contractors for our projects have to deal with the constraints of infrastructure and limited workspace on the hill.

“The tender process took slightly longer as these are ‘design and build’ projects. Plus, there is the complexity of slopes, number of spots and locality involved,” said Cheok.

When Penang was inundated by excessive rains and major floods last Nov 4 and 5, its popular highland getaway was not spared. More than 300 landslides occurred.

Huge boulders, fallen trees and debris were everywhere, cutting off access roads. The funicular train service was disrupted for two months.

Cheok said they had to follow the state government’s strict open tender process and only consider credible contractors. He said the 14th General Election in May also caused a delay in proceedings.

The major projects will be fully funded by the state government while the others are being handled by PHC and the state government.

Cheok said the three tender projects would cover 16 spots requiring major slope stabilisation works.

Calling last year’s storm a “calamity”, he said major works would be carried out near the Summit and Upper Tunnel Road areas.

“Once the tenders have closed, we will initiate slope stabilisation projects for Viaduct Road East and West, other segments of Upper Tunnel Road, Lower Tunnel Road and others.

“Smaller projects to be carried out soon may include repairs of Bypaths I and J as well as affected spots along Bypath A, heritage trails closer to the summit area and more drainage repair work.

“As the hill is huge and there are many landslide spots, PHC has to work systematically according to the priority list,” he said.

Cheok added that the restoration and rehabilitation would take at least a year to complete.

“The critical step is to restore the drainage system to ensure that rain water flows through efficiently and to prevent surface water runoff on the slopes. Our drainage project has started,” he said.

Asked whether the project took too long to begin, Cheok said the rehabilitation work had in fact started in January.

“We gave priority to quick restoration on key paths and roads to enable access to residents and visitors, including hikers. We needed to first ensure safety of the most commonly used areas,” he said.

Cheok said they also needed to repair some of the facilities quickly, carrying out tasks like simple restoration, clearing and landscaping.