UEM project manager Ahmad Fauzi Ali has apologised to commuters who were caught in what is dubbed "Penang's worst traffic jam in history" on Monday.

UEM is the federal appointed company to develop the flyover project along the Batu Maung coastal stretch leading to the second Penang bridge.

However, the state government and Penang Island City Council was initially blamed for the massive traffic jam .

Fauzi said UEM acknowledged the state's concern and emphasis on safety of commuters, who ply daily along the Tun Lim Chong Eu Expressway to the Bayan Baru area.

“Two million work hours have passed without incident so far,” he assured at a press conference in Komtar today.

Accompanying Fauzi were Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng ( photo ), Federal Works Department senior director for roads Hasnul Mohd Salleh and UEM construction manager Ismade Ismail.

On Monday, thousands were late for work and school, with many venting their frustration and anger in social media.

About 100 airline passengers reportedly missed their flight, and were forced to buy new tickets.

PKR’s Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin lamented that he was swamped with hundreds of complaints regarding the jam.

Minimise risks to commuters

Following the crisis, Lim immediately issued a stop work order to UEM on Monday night, and this morning, the traffic situation was back to normal.

At the press conference today, Lim said an independent consultant will be appointed to issue a safety audit report before the state lift the stop work order to UEM.

UEM Builders, the project contractor, will bear the cost of the consultant, Lim added.

Work to instal the 6,000 tonne four-lane span along the expressway will resume only after the approval by the consultant, he stressed.

“Risks to commuters must be minimised, vehicles on the existing road are parallel with the span on top.

“(In 2013), the span collapsed and killed the driver of a car. If it happens again, more cars would be affected,” Lim cautioned.

“Only follow-up work on already completed sections of the span will continue for now, no other works will be allowed.”

Lim said to facilitate the road works, the intersection of Hilir Sungai Keluang 1 and Lebuhraya Kampung Jawa will be closed to traffic from 11pm to 5.30am.

Hasnul said the safety audit report will be submitted to the state government today.

Despite the road closure, he said the plan to complete the span by January 2016 is achievable.

“The project is ahead of schedule.

“We hope the approval for the audit report can be obtained in about a week, we do not expect any delay in completing the project," Hasnul added.