Komtar station
Komtar | |
|---|---|
| Light rapid transit and monorail terminal | |
| General information | |
| Location | Magazine Road 10300 George Town, Penang |
| Coordinates | 5°24′45″N 100°19′58″E / 5.4124°N 100.3327°E |
| Owned by | Mass Rapid Transit Corporation |
| Line(s) | |
| Connections |  George Town tram system Rapid Penang public bus system: 101, 102, 103, 104, 201, 201*, 202, 203, 204, 206, 301, 302, 303, 304, 306, 401E, 502, CAT, CAT14 |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | Elevated |
| History | |
| Opened | c. 2030 |
The Komtar station is a proposed railway terminal located in Komtar, at the intersection of Magazine Road, Carnavon Street, and Tek Soon Street in George Town, Penang. The station is projected to become a major terminal and interchange station of the Mutiara line, the Tanjong Tokong line, and the Ayer Itam line. It has connections towards the terminal of a proposed tram system in George Town, and the Komtar Bus Terminal, which serves as the primary public bus terminal serving Penang Island.
The station complex is planned next to the Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, as part of the fifth phase of development in Komtar. Once completed, it is expected to become the main rail station in George Town.[1] Besides this, the station is part of the western end of an elevated link across the Penang Strait towards the Penang Sentral station in Seberang Perai.[2] Construction is expected to start in September or October 2024, and will be completed by 2030, in line with the completion of the Mutiara line.[3]
History
[edit]The site of the Komtar station was previously part of the historic Sia Boey Market, which emerged in 1806 as one of the busiest street markets in central George Town.[4] During the initial planning of the Penang Urban Centre between 1969 and 1970, the site around Sia Boey Market was designated for demolition and replacement under the project's fifth phase of development.[5] After the project evolved into Komtar, the land which the market stood upon was sold in July 1991 for RM31 million, although no progress was done, despite plans for a mixed retail, office, and residential development set for construction in 1995 or 1996.[6]
Planning
[edit]In 2002, the Penang state government repurposed Sia Boey Market into a centralised transportation hub, with a terminal of a proposed light rail transit line in Penang Island, a precursor to the present Mutiara line.[7] In 2004, anticipating the construction of the transit line, Sia Boey Market closed permanently. However, the project stalled and was never revived to its previous state.[4] In 2012, the site was planned for the construction of an arts district known as the Penang Heritage Square, but progress halted when the arts district was relocated to Macallum Street Ghaut nearby to make way for another integrated transport hub.[8][9] This revival did not succeed, and by the mid-2010s the project stalled again due to funding concerns and political opposition from the federal government.[10]
The introduction of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) in 2015 designated the Komtar station as a major interchange station and terminal of several proposed light rail transit and monorail routes. It functions as the terminus station of the Mutiara line, the Tanjong Tokong line, Ayer Itam line, and the George Town tram line.[11][12] Further redesigns of the Mutiara line made the Komtar station the western end of an elevated rail bridge across the Penang Strait towards a station at Penang Sentral at Seberang Perai.[2] Construction of the station and the Mutiara line were delayed repeatedly, with the most recent date of construction set at September or October 2024, with an estimated completion date of 2030.[3]
Layout
[edit]Rail services
[edit]The Komtar station is proposed to be served by the following rail lines:
| Train line | Direction and next station |
 Mutiara line
|
Southbound towards Jalan Gurdwara (George Town) → |
| Eastbound towards Macallum (Macallum Street Ghaut) ← | |
| Tanjong Tokong line
(southern terminus) |
Northbound towards Pykett (Pulau Tikus) ← |
| Ayer Itam line
(eastern terminus) |
Westbound towards Times Square (Dato Keramat) → |
Connections
[edit]The Komtar station is proposed to be connected to the following stations:
George Town tram line (western terminus): Eastbound towards Carnavon Street
Rapid Penang public bus terminal (Komtar Bus Terminal): 101, 102, 103, 104, 201, 201*, 202, 203, 204, 206, 301, 302, 303, 304, 306, 401E, 502, CAT, CAT14
References
[edit]- ^ Lo, Tern Chern (30 May 2023). "Phase 1 of Penang LRT will now stretch from airport to Tanjung Bungah". The Star.
- ^ a b Lo, Tern Chern (14 February 2024). "Chow: Penang LRT to cross sea from Komtar via rail bridge". The Star.
- ^ a b "Construction of Penang LRT project expected to begin in September or October, says CM". Malay Mail. 29 March 2024.
- ^ a b Mok, Opalyn (10 March 2019). "The making of Penang's very own Central Park in historic Sia Boey". Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ Lim, Chong Keat (1972). Central Area Redevelopment Plan for Penang (1962–1986). George Town: Architects Team Three. pp. A16–A32. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023 – via M+.
- ^ Lim, Ai Lee (9 July 1991). "George Town to buy land in Komtar for $109m". New Straits Times. p. 14. Archived from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ Devi, K. Katsuri; Filmer, Andrea (4 May 2008). "Putting Komtar together again". The Star. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ Lai, Lucia (2 August 2012). "Proposed Heritage Square for Penang". Citizens Journal. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ Mok, Opalyn (22 June 2016). "Penang arts district relocated to Macallum Street; Sia Boey to be transport hub". Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ "Let us build LRT if you won't, Penang tells Putrajaya". Malay Mail. 17 June 2014.
- ^ Lo, Tern Chern (31 May 2023). "Bold new train line plan for Penang". The Star.
- ^ "Public transport". penanginfra.com. Penang Infrastructure Corporation. 2023.