GEORGE TOWN, Feb 27 — The Penang government has approved a new alignment for the RM2.93 billion North Coastal Paired Road (NCPR) project that links Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow told a press conference that the project — Package One of the three paired roads and third link project under the Penang Transport Master Plan — is expected to start in two years.

“The estimated costs for the project is RM2.43 billion while the estimated costs of land acquisition is at RM500 million,” he said in Komtar today.

He said the project, by Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZC), will take five years to complete.

The NCPR will stretch 10.61km, starting from Lembah Permai Road in Tanjung Bungah with a coastal section along the seafront of the Floating Mosque in Tanjung Bungah to connect to Shamrock before connecting to Batu Ferringhi and ending in Teluk Bahang.

Chow said the coastal section will be about 2.2km while 70 per cent of the remaining main road will go through the hills.

He said the initial alignment for the project passed through densely populated areas such as along Jalan Chee Seng, Jalan Chan Siew Teong and Mar Vista and had to be changed to avoid those areas.

“It was decided that it would be too disruptive if it passes by dense residential areas so the alignment was changed to avoid the residential areas,” he said.

He said land acquisition for the project involved mostly empty private plots except for one occupied by Kampung Mutiara in Batu Ferringhi, which UDA Holdings has already marked for redevelopment.

He said the redevelopment will be in line with the project since it will have to include provisions for the road.

Chow said physical works on the project will not start yet as Consortium Zenith will need to submit an environment impact assessment (EIA) for the coastal road for approval.

“The EIA for the main road was already approved previously,” he said.

The NCPR is expected to shorten travelling time from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang from 45 minutes to seven minutes.

On the funding for the project, Chow said the state government will fund 4.88km of the road from Jalan Tanjung Bungah to Jalan Sungai Emas through land swap with Consortium Zenith.

As for the remaining 5.73km from Jalan Sungai Emas to Teluk Bahang, he said the costs will be offset through future development projects by CZC in Penang.

“The costs for this project will be finalised together with the detailed design,” he said.

He said it will take six months for the detailed design to be finalised and once it is finalised, a sub-agreement on the project will be signed.

Chow said Package Two, which links Ayer Itam to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, is currently under construction and at 73 per cent completion.

He said Package Two is the first package to be implemented under the three paired roads and third link project.