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One of the planned new lines will link the West Rail Line and the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line. Photo: Bloomberg

Plans for HK$110b expansion of Hong Kong rail network unveiled

New and extended routes planned by 2026 to better serve existing communities and provide communication links for new developments

Plans for seven new rail projects costing an estimated HK$110 billion have been unveiled by the government.

A blueprint released yesterday by the Transport and Housing Bureau proposes four new lines, extra stations, and extensions to the MTR's Tung Chung and West Rail lines.

The areas to benefit from the projects - to be built in phases from 2018 to 2026 - include Kwun Tong, Hong Kong Island north of the current line, Southern District, Tung Chung, Tuen Mun, Hung Shui Kiu and planned new towns in the northeastern New Territories region of Kwu Tung.

The most expensive project will be a 7.8km East Kowloon line, costing an estimated HK$27.5 billion to link Diamond Hill on the Kwun Tong Line and Po Lam on the Tseung Kwan O Line.

It will serve a major housing development at the Anderson Road Quarry.

Secretary for Transport and Housing Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said the route was included in the report "after taking into account feedback during public consultation and examining further the transport needs of the Kwun Tong north area".

His bureau arrived at the Railway Development Strategy 2014 after a public consultation in May last year. Both the timetable and cost projections are at preliminary stages.

On Hong Kong Island, a new South Island line (West) will extend railway coverage to Aberdeen, Wah Fu, Cyberport and Pok Fu Lam.

It will run between the University of Hong Kong station on the future West Island line and Wong Chuk Hang station on the South Island line (South).

On the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, a 5km North Island link between Central and North Point is being planned to serve Tamar, the Convention and Exhibition Centre and Victoria Park.

In the New Territories, a Northern Link is to connect Kam Sheung Road station on the West Rail Line to a new Kwu Tung stop. And at Tung Chung, residents will get a westward extension.

The proposals come as the city faces delays of up to two years and cost overruns in at least three ongoing projects by the MTR Corporation, including a cross-border link to Guangzhou.

As well as delays, there is the question of whether the city has enough construction workers to build the lines, with one industry insider saying there is a shortage of 8,000 to 10,000 workers.

Asked if the government might assign the building of the new railways to the MTR Corp in the light of the current delays to its projects, Cheung said it was too early to tell. But he noted: "If [the projects were] built and run by the same organisation, the synergy would be the greatest."

A bureau spokesman said it would consider whether the MTR Corp was able to take on more projects. It would also prepare contingency plans in case the company was not hired.

On the availability of construction labour, Cheung noted that the Development Bureau had a mechanism to coordinate demand for workers among infrastructure projects.

Lawrence Ng, president of the Construction Sub-Contractors Association, voiced concern about the city's ability to find workers for more railway projects. "The challenges will be huge and the pressure [on manpower] will also be tremendous," he said.

Michael Tien Puk-sun, chairman of the Legislative Council's railways subcommittee, criticised the government for being "too aggressive" in hoping to complete the projects in the suggested timeframe.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: HK$110b blueprint to extend railways
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