GEORGE TOWN, March 29 — The Penang government expects construction work for the Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT) Mutiara Line project to begin September of October this year.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said work will begin after the final details of the project are discussed and decided between SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd and Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp).

"The state government welcomes the announcement of Transport Minister (Loke Siew Fook) and this is a start, there is much more work that will follow, and in his previous visit, he expressed the intention that the project will begin in the third or fourth quarter of this year,” he told reporters here today.

The federal government officially took over the LRT project from the state government following the Cabinet’s decision to approve the suggested development of the project last week (March 22).

Even though the project has been announced and will be carried on by the federal government, it will still take time before technical work can begin, Chow said, adding that the Pesta site in Sungai Nibong has been identified as the depot location and the state government has suggested that another depot be built on Silicon Island.

Chow also expressed hope that the Tanjung Bungah to Komtar line would be built in the next phase following the current 29-kilometre Mutiara Line, from Silicon Island to Komtar, then across to Penang Sentral in Seberang Perai.

The line has 20 stations, including two interchange stations, Komtar and Penang Sentral, and will offer connectivity with Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) Komuter and the Electric Train Service (ETS) services. — Bernama