TWO major projects are in the pipeline to alleviate trafficcongestion in the Penang state, said state exco member Lim Hock Seng.

In his oral reply to Nordin Ahmad (BN-Bayan Lepas), he said the Bayan Lepas LRT and the Pan Island Link I Highway under the RM27bil Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) were scheduled to be carried out between 2017 and 2023.

The Bayan Lepas LRT willhave interchange stationsconnecting three more future LRT and monorail lines still on the drawing table.

The 20km Pan Island Link Highway will connect Gurney Drive and the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas.

He said the project would be carried out by SRS Consortium, the appointed project delivery partner.

He added that three proposed islands have been planned on the southern tip of Penang island which are financial model to carry out the PTMP.

Lim said the proposedundersea tunnel and three paired roads would be carried out by Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd.

The 6.5km Penang Undersea Tunnel will connect north Butterworth to the Gurney Drive-Pangkor Road junction.

As for the three paired roads, Lim said it would be carried out in stages from 2016 to 2025.

The three paired roads are from Air Itam to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang and Jalan Pangkor-Gurney Drivejunction to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway.

“In fact, the paired road from Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Express-way to Air Itam can be carried out in June.

“Next year, it will be the road from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang followed by the one from Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Express-way to Jalan Pangkor-Gurney Drive in 2018,” he said.

On why the three paired roads could not be carried out simultaneously, Lim said some of the lands were not ready.

“Besides, we also cannot afford to pay lump sum for the roads. It is not feasible. That’s why we have to carry out everything in stages,” he said.