An artist’s impression of the waiting area after the expansion.
THRONGS of people lured by Penang Hill’s cooling air that seldom exceeds 25 degrees Celsius will soon enjoy a better train station at the foothill.
There will be better retail outlets, larger waiting areas, a rooftop walk, upgrade ticketing counters, a multipurpose hall and even a Penang Science cafe outlet.
This two-storey expansion to the station is expected to be completed in August 2018 and is the third phase of a RM18.2mil upgrading project that has been ongoing since 2012.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the effort is another step towards turning Penang Hill into a hill resort of choice in Malaysia and the region.
The Penang Hill lower station will soon undergo upgrading work.
“There will be an open space concept waiting area for the comfort of visitors while waiting for the train rides,” said Lim.
“Many tourists interviewed in the past had said that they had to queue up for about two hours to buy tickets and wait long for the train during peak seasons.”
He said the first stage of the project would see the upgrading and addition of more facilities, the second stage would see the upgrading of the middle section of the station and third stage is the upgrading of ticketing counters.
Lim officiated the ground-breaking ceremony at the station on Friday.
Also present were state Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow and Penang Hill Corporation general manager Cheok Lay Leng.
The first phase of the project, costing RM3.4mil, was completed in August 2013 which saw the construction of a retractable roof and an elevated walkway at the upper station.
In April 2015, the RM7.7mil phase two project was completed and it comprised an observation deck and the skywalk on the hilltop, about 800m above sea level.
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