JOHOR BARU: The Johor state government is set to tackle the decade-long limited parking space issues at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) by constructing 170 additional lots at Pantai Lido.
Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the phase one construction of the new parking lot will be ready by the end of this month.
It is the state government project in a joint effort with Tropicana Corporation Bhd.
The open space opposite HSA along Pantai Lido, which is below the pedestrian bridge that connects to the hospital from across the road, is about six hectares.
The project will be implemented in stages to meet the urgent need of additional parking lots.
Currently, patients and visitors of the government hospital randomly park their vehicles along Persiaran Abu Bakar Sultan along HSA's main road, causing congestion and also a sore sight to the eye.
The second phase of the parking lot project is anticipated to include an additional 200 parking spaces. It will be built when the need arises.
HSA is Johor's largest hospital and the state's primary referral and tertiary health centre. It is also one of the busiest hospitals in the country based on its patient load.
"Ultimately, this initiative seeks to mitigate parking shortages and congestion within the hospital premises," Onn Hafiz said.
Upon completion at the end of January, there will be no parking fee for the first month. Subsequently, Metro Parking Bhd will operate and manage the parking lot.
Earlier today, Onn Hafiz participated in a gotong-royong programme at Pantai Lido under the Johor Bersih initiative.
The Johor Bersih @ Pantai Lido programme saw about 1,000 participants from 46 government agencies, private entities, and non-governmental organisations.
The event kicked off from Johor Baru Waterfront Lot 1, covering 3-kilometre stretch.
Onn Hafiz said the main objective behind this Johor Bersih @ Pantai Lido was to revitalise the Pantai Lido area, creating a conducive space for Johoreans to engage in leisure activities and exercise.
He also reminded the people to uphold cleanliness and to collectively shoulder the responsibility of preserving the environment by not littering discriminately.
The gotong-royong programme also saw the participation of state executive members, including State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Mohd Jafni Md Shukor, State Tourism, Environment, Heritage, and Culture Committee chairman Raven Kumar, State Islamic Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid, and Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) mayor Datuk Noorazam Datuk Osman, among others.