GEORGE TOWN: Almost five years after construction began, the Penang International Airport multi-storey car park is expected to begin operations next month.
The car park was supposed to be ready by the end of 2019.
According to Transport Minister Anthony Loke, works are progressing at 99.79 per cent and entering the final phase.
"This includes touch-up works as well as testing and commissioning of the mechanical and electrical (M&E) system.
"Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) has given its assurance that the multi-storey car park shall be completed by the end of this month and will start to operate early next month.
"MAHB's focus now is to complete the project so that the public will be able to use the facility soonest," he told the New Straits Times when contacted.
Answering to an oral question at the state legislative assembly sitting back in May 2019, Chief Minster Chow Kon Yeow had then said that construction works for the car park building had begun in August 2018 and would take 14 months to complete.
The seven-storey car park, on the existing 650-bay open car park site, cost RM70 million to build.
The 2,200-bay covered car park will be able to cater to the needs of travellers who can now leave their vehicles at the airport when heading out on short trips.
The construction of the car park building was part of the airport expansion project mooted in 2008.
Loke said, prior to the pandemic, the project had achieved 88.8 per cent of work progress.
He said the Movement Control Order (MCO), construction material price hike post-pandemic, materials shipment disruptions, shortage of manpower as well as issues faced by the contractor had further contributed to the project delay.
"MAHB had carried out a recovery plan and has directly appointed the sub-contractors to complete the remaining works by the end of this month," he added.
He was also asked if there was any truth to claims that the car park could not be used earlier due to construction issues.
Loke said, prior to the commencement, the multi-storey car park project had obtained approval from the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for the planning approval and building plan approval.
He stressed that the Professional Architect had complied to the Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL 1984) specifications and design.
"As such, the width of the ramp structure/flyover is sufficient for cars to enter.
"In addition, the ramp is also currently being used by cars and small lorries entering the project site (construction workers' vehicles) without any problems," he assured.
When tabling the 2023 Budget in Parliament recently, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had announced a project to expand the PIA and Subang Airport and halted plans to build a new airport in Kulim.
He had said that the expansion of the two airports, to be spearheaded by MAHB, would benefit the economy at a cost that was much lower than the cost of building a new airport in Kulim, which is estimated to cost RM7 billion.
During a recent visit here, Loke had said that expansion of the PIA will begin by the end of this year, and that he had directed MAHB to expedite the project.
The expansion will see the capacity of the airport, the third busiest in the country, increase to 12 million passengers annually from the current 6.5 million passengers. The floor space would also be increased by 100 per cent.