The Penang Hill Cable Automotive challenge is ready to maneuver into its implementation section, following the signing of a RM367 million financing settlement between Hartasuma Ropeways Sdn Bhd and Financial institution Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad (BPMB). The brand new cable automobile system is meant to complement the century-old funicular railway, not substitute it, as customer numbers to Penang Hill proceed to rise.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow clarified that the cable automobile is a “complementary resolution” to handle congestion, improve customer expertise, and supply a extra sustainable approach to deal with peak intervals. As of July 25, the funicular railway had already recorded over a million riders this yr — a milestone that highlights rising tourism demand.
Penang Hill Station (for illustration objective solely)
“The cable automobile will combine with the upgraded Astaka constructing and provide a 10-minute journey from the Penang Botanic Gardens to the hilltop, with a capability of 1,000 passengers per hour,” Chow mentioned. He added that the challenge helps the Penang2030 imaginative and prescient of a family-focused, inexperienced, and sensible state.
Chow additionally revealed {that a} feasibility examine is underway for a possible second cable automobile line linking Penang Botanic Gardens and Gurney Bay, about 2.5km aside. This displays the state’s broader dedication to bettering accessibility and strengthening Penang’s tourism infrastructure.
Describing the settlement as a transfer “from idea to development,” Chow mentioned the cable automobile challenge has gone by means of rigorous environmental research and stakeholder engagement. The redevelopment of the Astaka web site has additionally entered its development section, additional remodeling the Penang Hill arrival expertise.
BPMB managing director Mohamed Nazri Omar mentioned the challenge is anticipated to generate 300 jobs throughout development and over 100 everlasting roles throughout operations. With vacationer arrivals approaching pre-pandemic ranges — 1.8 million in 2024 in comparison with 1.9 million in 2019 — the cable automobile is anticipated to almost double annual visitation to three.96 million by 2035.
Hartasuma govt director Tan Sri Ravindran Menon mentioned the monetary shut marks a defining second, calling it a “legacy challenge” for Penang. “We’re constructing greater than a cable automobile — we’re constructing a shared reminiscence,” he mentioned.
Penang Hill Company (PHC) common supervisor Datuk Cheok Lay Leng added that the cable automobile will function an efficient various to the funicular railway, serving to handle peak-hour crowding whereas sustaining the heritage worth of the present system.
Focused for completion in early 2027, the cable automobile challenge is a key step in making Penang Hill extra accessible and future-ready, balancing growth with conservation.
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