PENANG Botanic Gardens will remain open to the public for recreational activities amid the approval of the Traffic Management Plan (TMP) for the Penang Hill Cable Car project, Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) general manager Datuk Cheok Lay Leng said.
The TMP, which outlines the traffic flow and construction activity management, has been finalised and approved, Cheok announced.
Broken down into two major components, which are the phased road closures involving the affected areas and the traffic management and control measures, the TMP will play a crucial role in the successful implementation of the long-awaited project.
“The TMP addresses public concerns about traffic control around the Penang Botanic Gardens, the movement of heavy construction vehicles along Jalan Kebun Bunga and Jeep Track, as well as parking availability and ongoing construction activities.
“The road closures, divided into two phases, will see a partial closure in Phase One, which starts from the intersection of Jalan Kebun Bunga and Lorong Air Terjun, before the Park Avenue Apartment.
The affected area here will be Jalan Kebun Bunga (zones A and B). (Kindly refer to maps 1 and 2 that have been attached to the article).
“This closure will be from Oct 15 this year to June 30, 2026.
“As for Phase Two, the proposed closure will involve a section of Viaduct Road near Bypath J, which connects to Jeep Track. (Kindly refer to maps 1 and 2 that have been attached to the article).
“The duration for the closure will be announced soon,” Cheok said in a media conference in Komtar today.
Later, he stressed that construction vehicles will only access Jalan Kebun Bunga and Jeep Track during non-peak hours on weekdays, from 10am to 12pm and 2.30pm to 4pm.
There won’t be any movement of construction vehicles during the weekends and public holidays.
In a related development, Cheok also said that a partial closure of Jalan Kebun Bunga and a section of Viaduct Road will be implemented to facilitate the foundation work and construction activities for the proposed multi-storey car park.
“Traffic controllers will be stationed at zones A, B, and C, to direct traffic, and only authorised vehicles and residents will have access to these roads. (please refer to maps 1 and 2),” he said.
Meanwhile, Cheok added that a section of the Viaduct Road near Bypath J, which connects to the Jeep Track at KM3.8 and leads to the proposed Turn Station and pylon sites, will be temporarily inaccessible during the construction of Phase Two.
“Hill residents that require access to the Viaduct Road are advised to use alternate routes; Jalan Tuanku Yahya Petra (Summit Road) or Upper Tunnel Road, to reach their homes during this period.
“Flagmen will manage the traffic during lorry unloading, and goods will be transported directly to the tower sites via inclined hoists. No stockpiling of materials along the Jeep Track will be allowed to minimise inconveniences and ensure the safety of road users.
Starting Oct 15 this year, visitors are advised not to park by the roadside but instead park at several designated areas, while enjoying a breezy walk to the Penang Botanic Gardens.
The locations are Waterfall Hilltop Temple car park (740 metres away), Penang City Park car park (900 metres away), and the Nattukottai Chettiar Temple car park (1km away).
Cheok has also urged visitors to use other alternative transportation, namely carpooling and public transport services such as Rapid Penang and e-hailing platforms.
“We understand the difficulties and inconveniences that the people may encounter but these measures are extremely important to ensure we deliver the project on time, and possibly even ahead of time.
“Your cooperation during this period is much needed,” Cheok said.
Also present during the media conference were state Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari and Hartasuma project director Mohamed Rizal Mohamed Sapari.
The state government, through PHC, is the project owner for the Penang Hill Cable Car project. Hartasuma, a pioneer in the Malaysian rail industry, has been awarded a 30-year concession for the Penang Hill Cable Car through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) on a design, finance, build, operate, and transfer (DFBOT) basis.
The company has appointed Austria-based ropeway market leader, Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbHfor, to supply the cable car system.
Doppelmayr boasts an unrivalled track record with over 15,400 ropeway installations worldwide, including 86 cable car installations located in Unesco heritage, geopark, and biosphere sites, as well as various national parks around the world.
It was also learned that Hartasuma is expected to invest RM245 million in the project.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar