GEORGE TOWN: Tanjung Bungah Residents' Association is calling on Penang state government to scrap its 10.53km North-costal paired road (NCPR) project from Tanjung Bungah to Telok Bahang.
It's chairperson Meenakshi Raman said the association, representing those staying in the area, also asked the Department of Environment (DoE) to consider not approving the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project.
She said residents' objection was based on several reasons which included lack of proper cost-benefit analysis and justification for the proposed stretch.
"The NCPR is estimated to cost RM518 million but this was a 2011 estimate. The amount quoted is only for construction without taking into account the cost of land acquisition.
"Reliable sources informed NCPR that the project is expected to cost RM1 billion, not including the money spent on conducting feasibility studies for the road which will cost several million ringgit more," she said.
Meena also claimed that motorists travelling from Tanjung Bungah to Telok Bahang would at best "saved" just 14 minutes of travel time.
"Spending such huge amount of public resources to ‘save’ 14 minutes of time travelled is a colossal waste of public resources and cannot be justified economically, environmentally and socially.
"Options such as improving public transport and alternative modes of transport as well as upgrading existing roads should have been properly considered, as part of the ‘no-build’ option, instead of just claiming that the ‘no-build’ option is not an option," she said.
She said NCPR would not solve the traffic congestion in Tanjung Bungah and will likely to aggravate it, which was contrary to the purported claim of easing traffic congestion.
"As the road ends abruptly in Lembah Permai, this means all the vehicles will end up in a bottleneck in Tanjung Bungah.
Meena claimed there was also no proper public consultation as the perception survey conducted by the EIA consultants was seriously flawed.
"Only 322 persons were involved in the survey in relation to the NCPR.
"Based on such a small sample size and lack of more comprehensive consultations, we are unable to accept the EIA conclusion that 69 per cent of the persons surveyed agree with the proposed road," she said.
Meena said residents in the area were also concerned about the failure to assess impacts of noise mitigation measures as the EIA recognised that communities along the NCPR will be affected by noise and vibration.
She said the locations requiring noise barriers include Taman Leader Condominium, Jalan Chee Seng 8, Taman Tanjung Bungah, Jalan Chee Seng, Surin Condominimum, Coastal Tower, Desa Mar Vista Apartment, Berverly Hills, Shamrock Beach, Sri Sayang Service Apartment, Ferringhi Delima Condominium, and Kg. Batu Ferringhi.
"The EIA fails to assess the impacts of these noise barriers on the quality of life of especially of those residents living in the high-rise condominiums and apartments.
"There is also no proper assessment of how residents will be impacted by unhealthy noise levels from the elevated sections of the proposed road and negative impacts from the appearance of concrete walls and structures impairing their vistas.” she said.
She said the residents also expressed concern over the EIA's revelation that about 46 per cent of the proposed road will be on terrain with higher than 25 degree slope.
"Slopes above 25 degrees are well known to be ‘sensitive hill lands’ and should not be used for the proposed road.
"In fact, the Penang Structure Plan 2020 generally prohibits hill land development except for very limited and justifiable exceptions, which in the case of this road, does not appear to be justifiable.
Meena added that the residents' association has submitted its comments on the EIA to the DoE on the July 31, along with their request to the department not to approve the EIA.