PIA multi-storey carpark is expected to open soon
Image source: Google Street View
Penang International Airport’s (PIA) multistorey carpark is expected to open to the public sometime this month.
State infrastructure and transport committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said he was informed by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) that the carpark construction was already 99% completed.
The carpark, which has 2,200 bays, was originally slated for completion in May last year and was supposed to have been completed at the end of 2021.
When contacted by TheStar last week, Zairil said: “MAHB expects to open the carpark for public use this month”.
He said the delay was due to MAHB facing issues in its software system installation.
Despite the delay in the carpark’s construction, the building cost remained the same at RM70mil, he said.
It was built on the site of an existing open-air carpark, which had 650 bays.
During construction, parking bays were severely limited and scattered around the airport compound.
The construction of the carpark was part of the PIA expansion project that was mooted in 2008.
However, the expansion work came to a standstill when the government put on hold proposals to build new airports and upgrade existing ones until the aviation sector recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last Oct 5, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said upgrading works at the PIA, which were being carried out by MAHB, would be postponed, with the government currently resolving several issues including land acquisition.
In a March 27, 2021, report in The Star, then MAHB chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh said based on the Penang Airport Masterplan by MAHB, the PIA would have the capacity to take in 25 million passengers a year in 30 years’ time.
The 87-year-old airport has undergone several infrastructure expansion over the years, the first starting in 1977.
It was fully operational in 1979 with the capacity to accommodate 1.5 million passengers.
It was later expanded and upgraded in 1998 to accommodate 3.5 million passengers, and up to 6.5 million passengers in 2013.
At present, the four-phase PIA expansion project is on hold, pending finalisation of the National Airport Strategic Plan (NASP).
The NASP study on airport development is expected to be completed in 2023 in line with the National Transport Policy.
Source: TheStar.com.my
Wah, at least something lah. No new airport, no new LRT, but at least managed to complete new car park lah. Well done.
It seems the state gov is good at things related to cars, like multistorey carpark, clamping cars, change new Mercedes S-class car for the CM, all can be completed with no glitch.