GEORGE TOWN: Penang residents, especially those living on the island, are waiting with bated breath for the commencement of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project at the end of the year.
A check by Bernama found that the public was excited about the project and confident that the LRT will ease the long-standing traffic congestion in Penang.
Farahlina Zainol, 32, has been waiting for the LRT service to start not only because it will ease the traffic congestion but will help her to save on travelling expenses getting to her workplace in Komtar.
Farahlina, who rides a motorcycle and sometimes drives her car to work daily from Bayan Lepas, near here, said she would always get caught in traffic.
"Going by newspaper reports, the LRT route will be from the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas to Komtar, and if this is so, then I will surely use the LRT to get to work as it is convenient.
"When I lived in Kuala Lumpur, I used the LRT to go to work. It helps to avoid traffic jams. Now that I am in Penang, the traffic is so congested… the buses are packed, so the LRT is the solution to the problem," she told Bernama.
She added that taking the LRT was also safer than riding her motorbike.
College student Neoh Zhe Chung, 22, said the LRT was more convenient than other modes of public transport and would save him time and the hassle of looking for parking spaces.
"I usually use buses or e-hailing services but am encountering problems with these. The bus is usually late (due to traffic jams) whereas the e-hailing rates have shot up. So, the LRT will be the new preferred mode of transport for residents in Penang. I live in Tanjung Tokong and understand that it is one of the LRT routes," he said.
R. Kallani, 65, who lives in Relau and is a long-time user of the bus services in Penang is looking forward to using the LRT services.
"My younger brother lives in Kuala Lumpur and he goes to work on the LRT. So, when I visit him there, I too use the LRT. We want this here too as the traffic jams here are getting worse," she said.
Meanwhile, Pung Taw Lim, 53, is thankful that the federal and state governments have approved the LRT project which is also one of the efforts towards a green state.
The LRT in Penang is expected to start earlier after the federal and state governments agreed to build the LRT depot on existing land compared to the previous plan which was to build it on the reclaimed south of Penang islands.
According to initial plans, the first phase of the LRT Line would start at the Penang International Airport and end at Komtar, but now it has been extended to Tanjung Bungah.
Twenty-seven multi-storey stations will be built along the 29km route under the first phase, and for the next phase, the government hopes to extend the project to Butterworth and Kepala Batas.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the federal government agreed to allocate more funds in a large scheme to expedite the Penang LRT project to solve the traffic congestion problem. – BERNAMA