The Penang Hill cable car project has reached 31% completion, with the first of its 15 cable car support towers now erected, according to a report by Kwong Wah Yit Poh. The project, which began in June 2024, had experienced some delays following several months of heavy rain in Penang, but construction has recently accelerated as weather conditions improved.

The 2.73km cable car system will have 15 support towers, including five located within the forest and another 10 around the summit, lower station and existing Jeep Track. The first tower erected is Tower No. 3, located in the Botanical Gardens area, and stands at 15 metres high. The contractor will monitor its stability before proceeding with the assembly and installation of Tower No. 2. Towers further along the route are expected to be considerably taller.

Meanwhile, major cable car components are being delivered from Austria, including electromechanical equipment and large bull wheels. Around 60 containers arrived in August, with another batch expected between September and October. Due to the size and weight of the equipment, the Botanical Gardens area is being used for storage and construction activities, contributing to the need for temporary closure of the gardens.

The system will comprise three stations — the Gardens Station, an Turn Station and the Hilltop Station at about 833 metres above sea level. It will operate 50 eight-passenger cabins at a speed of 6 metres per second, with a capacity of about 1,000 passengers per hour. The state government is targeting operations to begin in June 2027. Project costs have risen from an initial estimate of RM245 million to about RM367.2 million.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT