A check at the site revealed that several workers were busy constructing a 200m metal fencing in front of the building, in preparation for the demolition.
Vehicles were not allowed to enter the building as barricades had been placed around the site, and a “No parking” sign was also erected to warn Penang Hill visitors not to leave their vehicles near the building.
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Penang Development Corporation (PDC) general manager Datuk Rosli Jaafar said the safety features, such as staging platforms being constructed around the site, are around 70% completed.
“It (the demolition) is going to be dangerous. So we want to make sure that everything is in place,” he said when contacted yesterday.
He added that the demolition of the multi-storey car park would take between two and three months.
In a report on May 25, Rosli had said that the demolition would be carried out once their consultant gave the green light.
“The contractor chosen to carry out the project was picked based on the demolition proposal that would cause the least inconvenience to the car park’s neighbours,” he had said.
A banner hung in front of the car park stated that the main contractor, Yuan Seng Building Trading Sdn Bhd, had been tasked to demolish the structure.
In a report on Jan 18, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had said the car park would be demolished by July 31 so that the structure could be rebuilt on Aug 1.
The car park had drawn criticism for having steep ramps and bays said to be suitable only for Perodua Kancil cars.
Lim, who is PDC chairman, had announced in December last year that the state was adopting the “preferred” recommendation of its inquiry board, headed by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Prof Omar Munir, to demolish the existing structure and build a new 300-bay car park.
He said the demolition, redesign and reconstruction would be at a cost ranging from RM5.5mil to RM6.75mil.
