Halt Penang cable car project before it’s too late, warn groups

 

An artist’s impression of the Penang cable car project which would cost RM245 million.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s insistence on carrying out a cable car project has upset green groups here that have repeatedly warned the state about its negative impact on the environment.

A 2.9km link between the Botanic Gardens and the summit of Penang Hill is slated to be built by a company at a cost of RM245 million and with a 30-year concession. The project has yet to begin pending regulatory approvals.

Malaysia Nature Society’s D Kanda Kumar said Penang civil societies objected to the project when it was first mooted 20 years ago as it carried a risk of irreversible damage to the environment.

“We’ve said the cable car was not necessary since the 1990s as the present hill railway could be upgraded,” he told FMT. Penang had said the funicular railway was operating at “overcapacity”, and the cable car would act as a “load balancer”.

Kanda said if Penang was adamant about cable cars, a more feasible route would be from Teluk Bahang to the hill station, with a midpoint stop in Batu Ferringhi. He said this was previously proposed but shelved due to political reasons.

He said the negatives of such a project remain, as many pylons would have to be built which would involve more clearing of hills.

“We have said 20 years ago that the cable car project would ruin Penang Hill. Our warning is more ominous now amid a global warming and climate change crisis,” he said.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia’s Meenakshi Raman said another concern was the hill station’s carrying capacity, which she said would be quadrupled if the new cable car was introduced.

She said an earlier crowd limit of 4,800 was purposely increased to 6,500 to justify the need for the cable car project. She said if the limit of 4,800 persons remained, there would be no need for cable cars and the hill railway would suffice.

Meenakshi said the increased crowd limit was only necessary during weekends and holidays as there were fewer people during non-peak periods.

“Now, does that justify the need for a cable car project?” she asked.

Meenakshi said Penang must allow for public consultation and an opportunity to object to the project. She said urgent environmental and social impact studies must first be carried out and later shown to the public.

“The cable car is not about placing more tourism products as the Penang chief minister aspires. The tourism product is already there, which is the Unesco biosphere for the hill.

“The cable car project is akin to killing the goose that lays the golden egg,” she said.

The Penang government had said the cable car would be within the transition zone of the Unesco reserve, where development is allowed.

Those supporting the cable car project said it would help to ease passenger load on the Swiss-made funicular trains, which are prone to breakdowns. At the same time, they said, the cable car would boost tourism. - FMT