The long-anticipated North Coastal Paired Road (NCPR) project, a key component of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), is set to commence following the state government’s approval of a revised alignment and commercial terms.

Penang CM Chow Kon Yeow announced that the NCPR, known as Package 1 under PTMP, will provide an alternative route from Tanjong Bungah to Teluk Bahang. The project aims to alleviate congestion along Penang’s northern coastline while driving socio-economic growth in Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang.

Strategic New Alignment

The newly approved alignment has been carefully designed to bypass densely populated residential areas, including Jalan Chee Seng, Jalan Chan Siew Teong, Marvista, and Beverly Hills. The 10.61 km route comprises an 8.41 km main road and a 2.2 km coastal section. It will begin at Jalan Lembah Permai (Tanjong Bungah), run along the coastline past the Floating Mosque, and reconnect with the main road near Shamrock before extending through Batu Ferringhi to Teluk Bahang.

With this new route, travel time from the Floating Mosque to Teluk Bahang will be drastically reduced from 30-45 minutes to just 7 minutes.

Project Timeline and Costs

Once all necessary approvals are in place, the project will be executed by Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZC) and is expected to take five years. The estimated cost is RM2.43 billion, with an additional RM500 million allocated for land acquisition. A detailed design phase will take approximately six months, while an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Amendment for the coastal section is expected to require 1.5 years.

The financing model involves the Penang government funding 4.88 km of the road from Jalan Tanjong Bungah to Jalan Sungai Emas through a land swap agreement with CZC. Meanwhile, CZC will self-finance the remaining 5.73 km from Jalan Sungai Emas to Teluk Bahang, with costs recouped through future developments in Penang.

Key Road Junctions and Package 2 Progress

NCPR will feature major junctions at Jalan Sungai Emas & Jalan Sungai Satu, Jalan Batu Ferringhi (Chin Farm Traffic Light Intersection), and Jalan Teluk Bahang.

Meanwhile, Package 2 of PTMP, the Air Itam – Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway Bypass, has achieved over 73% completion, marking steady progress in Penang’s transport infrastructure development.