November 14, 2011
Gurney Drive land swap deal for developers of highways, sea tunnel link
By JOSEPH KAOS Jr
Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The Penang government will pay developers with prime land around the tourist belt area of Gurney Drive to construct three by-pass highways and a sea tunnel linking the island to the mainland.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the RM8bil project would be the state's biggest infrastructure exercise and is meant to resolve the island's severe traffic congestion problem.
The proposed traffic-alleviation projects are a 6.5km sea tunnel connecting Gurney Drive on the island to northern side of Butterworth, a 4.2km road from Gurney Drive to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu expressway by-passing the city centre, a 4.6km road linking Bandar Baru Air Itam to the same expressway and a 12km dual-carriage road from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang to pair with the existing coastal road.
“We estimate that the projects will cost RM5bil to RM8bil depending on the bids from prospective contractors,” he told a press briefing here yesterday.
He said the “competitive land swap” payment will be a win-win situation for both the state government and the developers.
“The state government does not have to pay money and the developer gets prime land that will triple in value after the projects take place,” Guan Eng said.
He added that developers could also propose to implement toll payments to recover costs.
A pre-qualification exercise will be issued Tuesday on the Penang government website for the projects and a briefing will be held in Penang on Nov 29 for interested bidders.
Lim explained that the projects would undergo a lengthy feasibility study and construction is only expected to commence in 2015.
“We target the completion to be in 2020, although it can be completed earlier,” said Lim.
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Gurney Drive land swap deal for developers of highways, sea tunnel link
By JOSEPH KAOS Jr
Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The Penang government will pay developers with prime land around the tourist belt area of Gurney Drive to construct three by-pass highways and a sea tunnel linking the island to the mainland.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the RM8bil project would be the state's biggest infrastructure exercise and is meant to resolve the island's severe traffic congestion problem.
The proposed traffic-alleviation projects are a 6.5km sea tunnel connecting Gurney Drive on the island to northern side of Butterworth, a 4.2km road from Gurney Drive to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu expressway by-passing the city centre, a 4.6km road linking Bandar Baru Air Itam to the same expressway and a 12km dual-carriage road from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang to pair with the existing coastal road.
“We estimate that the projects will cost RM5bil to RM8bil depending on the bids from prospective contractors,” he told a press briefing here yesterday.
He said the “competitive land swap” payment will be a win-win situation for both the state government and the developers.
“The state government does not have to pay money and the developer gets prime land that will triple in value after the projects take place,” Guan Eng said.
He added that developers could also propose to implement toll payments to recover costs.
A pre-qualification exercise will be issued Tuesday on the Penang government website for the projects and a briefing will be held in Penang on Nov 29 for interested bidders.
Lim explained that the projects would undergo a lengthy feasibility study and construction is only expected to commence in 2015.
“We target the completion to be in 2020, although it can be completed earlier,” said Lim.
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Friday April 29, 2011 MYT 2:44:00 PM
Sea tunnel link for Penang?
By ANDREA FILMER
Star
GEORGE TOWN: Penang may get a third link - a 6.5km sea tunnel linking Gurney Drive on Penang island and Bagan Ajam on the mainland.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the project was proposed by the Chinese company Beijing Urban Construction Group Co Ltd (BUCG), which built the famous Bird's Nest Olympic stadium in Beijing.
He said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the state and BUCG on Thursday in Putrajaya, in the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.
"To get China's attention is a compliment for Penang," Lim told reporters here Friday after the opening of the state assembly sitting by Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas.
Lim said the Penang Municipal Council would embark on a six-month study to ascertain the technical, physical and funding requirements for the project.
He added that although BUCG had proposed the third link, the project would have to be awarded through an open tender.
On Thursday, eight agreements and MoUs were signed between Malaysia and China.
One of the MoU, on resolving traffic congestion in Penang island, was between the Penang Government and BUCG, which was signed by Penang state secretary Datuk Farizan Darus and company chairman Liu Longhua.
It is not known yet whether the third link was specifically mentioned in the MoU.
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Wednesday May 11, 2011
Tunnel proposal to be studied carefully first, says CM
Star
THERE is no guarantee that the proposed 6.5km tunnel project linking Gurney Drive on Penang island and Bagan Ajam on the mainland would be implemented.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he was not sure if the project would materialise but the state government would give it a try.
“All technical studies including hydrology test would be carried out by experts. The green lights will only be given if everything is done properly,” he said in his winding up speech at the state assembly.
He was replying to a query by acting Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya (BN-Teluk Bahang) who raised his concern over the project.
“Since a credible company Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) has approached us, we can’t just simply chase them away,” Lim said.
He said the state would ensure there would be an open tender if the project goes ahead.
The tunnel which was proposed by BUCG stemmed from a memorandum of understanding between BUCG and the state government which was signed in Putrajaya.
It was one of eight agreements signed between Malaysia and China in the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on April 28.
Sea tunnel link for Penang?
By ANDREA FILMER
Star
GEORGE TOWN: Penang may get a third link - a 6.5km sea tunnel linking Gurney Drive on Penang island and Bagan Ajam on the mainland.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the project was proposed by the Chinese company Beijing Urban Construction Group Co Ltd (BUCG), which built the famous Bird's Nest Olympic stadium in Beijing.
He said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the state and BUCG on Thursday in Putrajaya, in the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.
"To get China's attention is a compliment for Penang," Lim told reporters here Friday after the opening of the state assembly sitting by Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas.
Lim said the Penang Municipal Council would embark on a six-month study to ascertain the technical, physical and funding requirements for the project.
He added that although BUCG had proposed the third link, the project would have to be awarded through an open tender.
On Thursday, eight agreements and MoUs were signed between Malaysia and China.
One of the MoU, on resolving traffic congestion in Penang island, was between the Penang Government and BUCG, which was signed by Penang state secretary Datuk Farizan Darus and company chairman Liu Longhua.
It is not known yet whether the third link was specifically mentioned in the MoU.
------
Wednesday May 11, 2011
Tunnel proposal to be studied carefully first, says CM
Star
THERE is no guarantee that the proposed 6.5km tunnel project linking Gurney Drive on Penang island and Bagan Ajam on the mainland would be implemented.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he was not sure if the project would materialise but the state government would give it a try.
“All technical studies including hydrology test would be carried out by experts. The green lights will only be given if everything is done properly,” he said in his winding up speech at the state assembly.
He was replying to a query by acting Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya (BN-Teluk Bahang) who raised his concern over the project.
“Since a credible company Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) has approached us, we can’t just simply chase them away,” Lim said.
He said the state would ensure there would be an open tender if the project goes ahead.
The tunnel which was proposed by BUCG stemmed from a memorandum of understanding between BUCG and the state government which was signed in Putrajaya.
It was one of eight agreements signed between Malaysia and China in the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on April 28.
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