GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow hopes that work on the Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project will begin as scheduled by the end of this year.
He said the state government was waiting for a further announcement on the project.
At this stage, he said, discussions were ongoing between MRT Corp, the project owner and implementation agency, and SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, the contractor appointed for Segment 1 of the project, from Bayan Lepas to Komtar.
The Penang government is the beneficial state.
"Both MRT Corp and SRS Consortium are in the final round of discussions concerning technical issues and the value of the project.
"Once that is finalised, then both parties can sign the agreement before works begin.
"So, it is my hope that the works can begin in the last quarter of this year as announced previously," he told newsmen at his office in Komtar.
Segment 2 of the project links the island and the mainland.
The federal cabinet had approved the Penang LRT project during a meeting on March 22, this year, a decision welcomed by the state government.
The Penang Mutiara Line LRT, which is targeted to begin operations in 2030, starts from Penang Silicon Island to Komtar, then across to Penang Sentral in Seberang Prai.
The distance is estimated to be about 29km with 20 stations, including two interchange stations at Komtar Station and Penang Sentral Station.