Firm claims mistakenly said Penang tunnel study on hold
The Consortium Zenith BUCG chairman today claimed he mistakenly told the media in Kuala Lumpur yesterday that the study was put on hold.
“It's the puasa month, so I might have mistakenly said that but we are continuing with the study as we are already 83 per cent done,” he said today in a press conference together with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Lim earlier also clarified that the undersea tunnel and three paired roads project have not been cancelled or postponed.
“There are still 17 per cent left to completion of the study so the contractor will continue with it,” he said.
Yesterday, in a press conference announcing legal proceedings against Parti Cinta Malaysia's Datuk Huan Cheng Guan over allegedly defamatory statements about Consortium Zenith, Zarul reportedly said the state government had asked them to stop the feasibility study for the undersea tunnel.
Lim today insisted the study was never halted, adding that there were also additional surveys needed.
“After the feasibility study, we still need to get the DEIA and if the DEIA is not approved, the project will not go on too and all costs will be born by the contractor,” Lim said.
One of the conditions for the award of the project to Consortium Zenith was that it must obtain the necessary approvals for the undersea tunnel and three paired roads, failing which it must bear the full costs of the feasibility studies.
He stressed that the undersea tunnel is a future plan to provide an extra link for when the first and second bridges become saturated.
“It will not be built now, construction for the tunnel might only start in 2022 and expected to complete by 2027,” Lim said.
As for the three paired roads, construction works are only expected to start next year and completed by 2022.
Zarul said their priority now is to start work on the three paired roads pending the completion of the feasibility study and obtaining approval for its detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) for the undersea tunnel.
Under the massive project, the 7.2km undersea tunnel will link Gurney Drive to Bagan Ajam in north Seberang Perai.
The three paired roads are from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang, Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway to Air Itam and Gurney Drive to the same expressway.
from Malay Mail Online | All http://ift.tt/1ZQ1KsS
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