GEORGE TOWN: Penang's RM114.8 million Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project is 50.86 per cent complete, with full completion scheduled for Sept 20, 2027.
State Infrastructure Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the project aimed to reduce flash flood risks across the 51sq km Sungai Pinang river basin, where rapid development had placed increasing pressure on existing drainage infrastructure.
"The project is expected to reduce the flood-affected area in parts of the Sungai Pinang basin by 10.15 per cent, while reducing damage to public infrastructure, residents' properties, housing and transport links," he said during a visit to Phase One of the Sungai Pinang river basin flood mitigation plan.
The project, which began on Sept 21, 2023, is designed to provide flood protection against events with a 100-year average recurrence interval.
Its scope includes deepening and widening a 1.4km stretch of Sungai Pinang, constructing 1.02km of parallel drains and upgrading drainage outfalls to improve stormwater flow towards the sea.
The works also include a piano weir and a pumping station equipped with four screw pumps, two on each riverbank, each with a capacity of 2.0 cubic metres per second.
An ancillary building is also being constructed.
The 3.2km Sungai Pinang serves as the main drainage channel for the river basin in Penang's northeast district, discharging water into the sea.
Rapid development in the surrounding catchment has altered land levels and surface water flows, while the existing drainage system has struggled to cope with higher water volumes, particularly during heavy rainfall, increasing the risk of flash floods.
Zairil said the state government remained committed to ensuring the project was implemented effectively and would continue to monitor its progress to ensure its flood-reduction objectives were achieved sustainably.
"The project is expected to help minimise flood-related losses and strengthen protection for communities and infrastructure in vulnerable parts of the basin," he added.
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