Ground Breaking Ceremony Of The Third Phase, Lower Station Of Penang Hill
Speech by Chief Minister of Penang
At The Ground Breaking Ceremony Of The Third Phase, Lower Station Of Penang Hill
On 10th March 2017
Saudara-saudari yang saya hormati sekalian
Salam sejahtera dan selamat datang ke Majlis Perasmian Majlis Pecah Tanah Projek Menaiktaraf Stesen Bawah Bukit Bendera Fasa Tiga.
In April 2011, Penang Hill Corporation officially took over the management of Penang Hill facilities and funicular operation.
Since then the ridership has increased significantly from 2010 when the train stopped to 1.6 million passengers in 2016. This is an increase of close to one million.
Since 2011 we have successfully completed several projects to raise the comfort and experience of our visitors.
In October 2012 Penang Hill Corporation embarked on the Phase One project, to construct a retractable roof to provide shade to our visitors at the lower station and also to construct an elevated walkway at the upper station. This project costing RM 3.4 million was completed in August 2013.
In April 2015 the RM 7.7 million phase two project was completed. Under the phase two project, an observation deck comprising three tiers of viewing decks and the iconic skywalk was built giving our visitors an unobstructed panoramic view of georgetown and Seberang Perai at 750 meters above sea level.
This morning we gather to witness the ground breaking ceremony of the third phase, which will be done in three stages. The cost of this project is RM 7.1 million and will be completed in August 2018.
The first stage of this project will see the upgrading and addition of more facilities and increase of waiting areas as well as food and beverage outlets, retail space, Penang Science café to rekindle interest in science and technology, roof-top-walk and multi-purpose hall.
The second stage will see the upgrading of the middle section and the third stage is the upgrading of ticketing counters.
All these are for the comfort of visitors while waiting for the funicular ride to the top of Penang Hill.
Once again, thank you for coming to witness this ground-breaking ceremony, which is another step towards achieving our vision of Penang Hill becoming the hill resort of choice in Malaysia and the region.
Sekian terima kasih.