Noordin Street Ghaut, George Town. KOMTAR is visible at the background.
Noordin Street Ghaut is a seaward extension of Noordin Street within the George Town city centre. It runs between the intersection with Bridge Street and Noordin Street to the west with Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu Expressway to the east.
The street was created in the late 19th. century, when the area was reclaimed from the sea. It was formerly a one-way street which served as an entrance route from the coastal Weld Quay into Bridge Street. Today, it serves as a two-way road to allow traffic in both directions heading into and out of Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu Expressway.
Noordin Street Ghaut sign
Etymology[]
Similar to the adjoining Noordin Street, Noordin Street Ghaut was named after Habib Merican Noordin, an Indian Muslim merchant who arrived in George Town in the late 18th. century. He played an instrumental role in the construction of the Kapitan Keling Mosque, the oldest and most iconic mosque in the heart of the city.
All streets that were extended towards the sea carry the word 'ghaut', which means a flight of steps leading down into the sea. A common feature along India's rivers, ghauts were constructed to allow the offloading of a ship's cargo.
History[]
Both Noordin Street and Noordin Street Ghaut were created during the latter half of the 19th. century. Whereas the inland Noordin Street came into being due to the southward expansion of George Town past the Prangin Canal, Noordin Street Ghaut was laid out after the area on which it lies was reclaimed from the sea.
Noordin Street Ghaut was originally created as a one-way street, allowing motorists and pedestrians from the coastal Weld Quay to enter Bridge Street.
This changed after the completion of the Jelutong Expressway (now renamed Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu Expressway) in 1985. Since then, Noordin Street Ghaut has been serving as a two-way road to allow traffic in both directions leading into and out of the expressway.
In the 1970s, the 17-storey Noordin Street Flat was constructed, making it the tallest building in George Town at the time; it was eventually superseded by KOMTAR.
Religion[]
A couple of Taoist shrines have been constructed at the Noordin Street Flat by its mostly Chinese residents.
- Poi San Kong Temple
- Heng Len Tuah Temple
Political Representation[]
Penang State Government[]
N.27 Pengkalan Kota State Assemblyman : Lau Keng Ee (Democratic Action Party)
Malaysian Federal Parliament[]
P.049 Tanjong Member of Parliament : Ng Wei Aik (Democratic Action Party)