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THE conventional way of scratching parking coupons in Penang could be a thing of past should Penang embarks the Penang Smart Parking (PSP) System.
The Penang government is set to conduct a trial run for the RM115 million system next month.
State Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the smart parking system would be used for some 36,000 parking lots on the island and mainland.
“An E-wallet mobile application will be used as the payment method.
“The project will proceed with its first phase where 1,000 parking lots in George Town and Bukit Mertajam will adopt this system. It will be done in phases and is scheduled to encompass the entire 36,000 parking lots by next year,” he told a press conference after attending a briefing on the PSP system in Komtar today.
Jagdeep said the smart parking system would be helpful to drivers.
“The app will notify the drivers if there are any vacant parking bays in the area. It will also indicate if the lots are occupied,” he said.
Also present were Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang, state elected representatives and MBPP councillors.
The system, touted to be the first in the country, was an initiative by the state government to realise the Penang2030 vision.
HeiTech Padu Berhad is the appointed technology provider after an open tender was called.
Jagdeep added that the system parking rates would be 40 sen per hour on the mainland and 80 sen per hour on the island.
“We decide to maintain the same rate,” he said, adding that the existing parking coupons would still be sold until Dec 31 this year. The validity would be until Dec 31 next year.
According to Jagdeep, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow is expected to launch the PSP system next month.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Nur Amirah Husna Roslan