GEORGE TOWN, 21 August 2026 The erection of the first tower for the Bukit Bendera Cable Car project marks a major turning point in construction, as the RM250 million development moves from complex underground foundation works into its vertical construction phase.
Hartasuma Sdn Bhd Executive Director Tan Sri Ravindran Menon said the milestone reflected the project’s progress after construction teams spent months overcoming the technical challenges posed by Penang Hill’s steep natural terrain.
He said the transition from underground works to construction of the cable car alignment above ground represented a significant operational shift for the project team.
“Mastering this steep, natural hillside terrain has required exceptional technical resilience,” he said during a site visit attended by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
Ravindran said Hartasuma was developing what would be Penang’s first iconic experiential ropeway, with sustainability remaining a key priority because of its location within a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
He stressed that development in such an environmentally sensitive area required careful and low-impact construction methods.
“Responsible development within a UNESCO Biosphere demands meticulous, low-impact execution,” he said.
According to Ravindran, the project’s concession agreement provides for a 42-month construction period from the appointed date, with completion targeted for December 2028.
However, he said Hartasuma’s engineering teams were continuously optimising the delivery schedule in an effort to provide the facility to Penang ahead of the contractual baseline.
He stressed that any acceleration would not come at the expense of engineering precision, safety or quality.
“I am pleased to report that we are right on track, and exactly where we need to be at this phase,” he said.
Ravindran also acknowledged the close cooperation between Hartasuma, the Penang Hill Corporation and the Penang state government throughout the project’s implementation.
He said maintaining public confidence would require all parties to provide consistent and accurate information on the project’s progress.
“By continuing to speak with one synchronised voice, we ensure the residents of Penang remain accurately informed and entirely confident in our shared progress,” he said.
Ravindran said Hartasuma viewed the cable car as more than a functional transportation system, describing it as an integrated ecosystem intended to bring together people, place and mobility.
Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the project had achieved 32 per cent overall progress, with underground works now completed.
He said the latest structural milestone was significant as the project had entered a phase where construction progress could be more readily monitored and accelerated.
Chow said physical works were expected to be completed by August 2027, with operations targeted for the fourth quarter of the same year, based on information from the project implementation team.
He said the project had faced challenges during its underground construction phase due to the geology and steep terrain of Penang Hill, including restrictions on the use of heavy machinery in certain areas.
The cable car will connect the Lower Ground Station near the Penang Botanic Gardens in Kebun Bunga with the Upper Ground Station on Penang Hill, providing an alternative access option to the existing funicular service.
With the first tower now erected, the project enters a more visible stage of construction, with the focus shifting towards the vertical works that will shape the cable car’s final alignment.
The site visit was attended by state executive councillors Zairil Khir and Wong Hon Wai, former Chief Minister and Air Putih assemblyman Lim Guan Eng, Kebun Bunga assemblyman Lee Boon Heng, Deputy State Secretary (Development) Dato’ Mohamed Abdul Rahman, Penang Hill Corporation general manager Dato’ Cheok Lay Leng, Project Director Mohamed Rizal Sapari and other project representatives.
–MINUTESMY
