BAYAN LEPAS: Reclamation works for the Silicon Island development here have reached 28 hectares (70 acres) more than a year since it started. The first phase aimed to reclaim 504 hectares of land from the sea.
Penang Infrastructure Corporation Sdn Bhd (PIC) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Farizan Darus said, of the 28 hectares reclaimed, two hectares would be allocated for the Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) depot.
"We hope to reclaim the total 60 acres (24ha) for the depot by the end of next year, a year from now.
"We will then hand over the depot area to MRT Corp, the Mutiara Line LRT owner and implementation agency, so that they can begin construction.
"We are optimistic that we will complete that as scheduled. The whole reclamation works are progressing well as planned," he told newsmen during a media tour to the Silicon Island project site today.
In April, the Penang government said that reclamation works for the Silicon Island project were progressing smoothly with about six hectares reclaimed since work started in October last year.
State Infrastructure Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said it was projected that 160 hectares of land would be reclaimed by the end of next year.
Farizan said to expedite deposition works, the PIC was utilising the vertical drain method to drain out water from the reclamation site with the use of five sand-carrier vessels.
"This is to enable construction works to begin earlier. With the use of the vertical drain method and the five sand carrier vessels , we expect to expedite work by 30 per cent.
"If all goes well, we expect to have the first industry up and running by 2027. The overall reclamation works for phase one are expected to be completed by June 2030," he added.
Last month, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the Mutiara Line LRT project was expected to kick off early next year.
Loke said discussions were being held with the main contractor as there were several matters which had to be finalised. He said, thereafter, they would obtain approval from the Finance Ministry.