Penang LRT Construction to Proceed in January, Works to Continue Through Festive Seasons

GEORGE TOWN (Nov 18): Construction of the Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project will begin in January 2026 as scheduled and continue uninterrupted through major festive seasons, including Chinese New Year in February and Aidilfitri in March.

Penang State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the project cannot be delayed due to strict deadlines set to ensure completion by December 2031.

“Any delay in meeting the construction timeline will activate contractual penalty clauses. However, during festive periods, the Traffic Management Plan (TMP) will be carried out with careful adjustments to avoid disrupting traffic or compromising road-user safety,” he said during the state assembly sitting on Tuesday.

Zairil was responding to a query from Lim Guan Eng (PH–Air Putih) regarding the project’s cost, commencement date, and whether works could be postponed until after Aidilfitri.

Three Traffic Hotspots Identified for Major Impact

The Civil Main Contractor Package 1 (CMC1), led by SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, has identified three critical hotspots that will experience the most impact during construction:

• Jalan Magazine

• Sunny Point junction, Batu Uban

• Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, particularly within the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone

The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has instructed Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRTC) to prepare a detailed TMP for every station along the route from George Town to Permatang Damar Laut. These plans were approved on Oct 14, and implementation is ongoing in stages.

Zairil said MRTC will introduce mitigation measures such as:

• Alternative routes

• Traffic diversions

• Monthly TMP reviews for constant refinement

“These measures aim to minimise disruption, maintain safe vehicle flow, and address unavoidable congestion during the LRT’s construction phase,” he added.

About the Mutiara Line LRT

The 29.5km Mutiara Line, with 21 stations, is designed to:

• Enhance mobility between the island and the mainland

• Reduce long-standing traffic congestion

• Strengthen accessibility to key employment nodes

Its alignment stretches from the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) area to Penang Sentral, including a key stop at Komtar in George Town. Train services will run in rotation across the full route.

Wider Market Context

Major infrastructure projects such as the Penang LRT are increasingly influencing Malaysia’s broader real estate landscape—from commercial property in KL to growth corridors anchored by industrial land in Selangor, as well as logistics-driven hubs like industrial property in the Subang area and manufacturing clusters near factory locations in Puchong. Improved connectivity and public transport tend to uplift long-term development value across these regions.