Press Release: Work starts on Penang Holl Cable Car System
Work Starts on Penang Hill Cable Car System
Prime Minister Launches Sustainable Landmark Project for Penang Hill
BUKIT BENDERA, Penang – 29 June 2024 – The Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Seri Utama Anwar Ibrahim officially launched the Penang Hill Cable Car project today in a groundbreaking ceremony. This event marks a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to enhance Penang’s tourism infrastructure, improving connectivity and accessibility to Penang Hill, as well as transforming it into a must-visit historic landmark.
The landmark project, conceived by the Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) in partnership with Hartasuma Sdn Bhd, is set to elevate visitors’ appreciation of Penang Hill’s natural beauty and biodiversity, help manage tourist traffic load during peak seasons and serve as an alternative route during emergencies. Work on the cable car system will be completed by 2026.
Penang Hill is a major tourist attraction renowned for its diverse ecology, rich history, famed hiking trails and panoramic views at its peak. In 2023, the Hill received 1.67 million visitors, edging towards its pre-pandemic peak of 1.9 million visitors in 2019.
“The introduction of the cable car system will provide a much-needed second option to ascend the hill, alleviating pressure on the funicular and synergising with the Penang Tourism Masterplan (2021-2030) and Penang 2030 Vision. This development aims to alleviate congestion, improve infrastructure, and strengthen Penang Hill’s position as a key destination in Malaysia,” said Penang’s Chief Minister, YAB Tuan Chow Kon Yeow, at the event.
The cable car will serve as a gateway to the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which will catalyse the transformation of Penang Hill and its surrounding areas. The State Government’s involvement underscores its commitment to preserving Penang Hill for future generations, while growing the local economy through sustainable tourism.
“Penang Hill is not only a natural treasure, but also a vital green lung for our state. This cable car project, in collaboration with Hartasuma, is a transformative project that exemplifies our commitment to responsible tourism that balances infrastructure modernisation with respect for the environment – an essential stance to preserve the economic value of Penang Hill. This will also provide a much-needed boost for the Penang Botanic Gardens as a destination”, added Chow.
This project will reframe infrastructure to cater to visitors, introduce new facilities and amenities while upgrading existing ones, further nurture and enhance the ecology, and improve overall accessibility. All measures have been meticulously thought out and planned to support better liveability for the residents and surrounding communities, and enjoyment of all visitors.
The project includes measures to minimise environmental impact, such as careful planning and initiatives to preserve local wildlife and plant species. Ecologically friendly construction practices such as the hand-dug caisson method, the use of energy-efficient technology, and continuous environmental monitoring will be observed throughout the project.
Only five pylon towers will be in the forest, while the remaining ten towers will be erected as close to the upper and lower stations and the Jeep track as possible, with no new road access being constructed. The cable car alignment will start from the garden station located at the existing Economic Garden (Taman Ekonomi) in Penang Botanic Gardens and end at the summit of Penang Hill, behind the Penang Hill Police Station. The cable car line is 2.73 kilometres long and will feature 50 eight-seater gondolas, with a ride time of less than 10 minutes. All key infrastructure within the development is committed to Green Building Index (GBI) Gold certification.
The cable car project will further resolve wider traffic challenges currently afflicting the area around the Penang Botanic Gardens, where vehicles have been encroaching onto the main road, resulting in serious accessibility issues. The project will also enhance and beautify the Penang Botanic Gardens area, benefiting both locals and visitors with improved infrastructure, landscaping, and green spaces for recreation.
To address this and ease congestion in the area, Hartasuma’s Group Executive Director, Tan Sri Ravindran Menon explained that the development’s Commercial Plaza will offer 700 parking bays for private vehicles with a dedicated bus parking to be opened next to Jabatan Taman Botani. “This Plaza will also facilitate the pedestrianisation of the area leading to the Penang Botanic Gardens and allow for a proliferation of spaces dedicated to the nurturing of trees and other flora.”
Hartasuma, a pioneer in the Malaysian rail industry, was awarded a 30-year concession for the Penang Hill Cable Car through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) on a design, finance, build, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) basis. The company has appointed Austria-based ropeway market leader, Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH to supply the cable car system. Doppelmayr’s unrivalled track record, spans over 15,400 ropeway installations worldwide, including 86 cable car installations located in UNESCO Heritage, Geopark, and Biosphere sites as well as various National Parks around the world.
Additionally, Doppelmayr’s advanced ropeway technology – known for its low emissions and energy efficiency – will ensure the system operates with a minimal carbon footprint. Ancillary offerings complementing the installation will also be introduced.
For seamless connectivity, the cable car and funicular stations at the summit are a less than 5-minute walk apart. Hartasuma also announced that it will be introducing an electric feeder bus service linking the Botanic Gardens ground station with the Air Itam funicular station. This integration will create a cohesive transit loop, allowing visitors the option of experiencing the hill comprehensively.
“The introduction of this cable car system represents more than just a new mode of ferrying visitors up and down Penang Hill. It is a pivotal step in reenergising this much-loved treasure. We aim to be a key partner to Penang Hill Corporation and the many entities operating here, to transform Penang Hill into a vibrant destination that celebrates its ecology, while supporting local communities and new economic opportunities for Penang,” Tan Sri Ravindran concluded.
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