Get back on track: Hong Kong leader tells MTR to get troubled high-speed railway finished - without more cash
Call comes amid claims rail firm is HK$3b short and may have to halt work on delayed route
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying is pressing the MTR Corporation to complete the high-speed link to Guangzhou as soon as possible and without further increases in budget, amid claims the railway operator had a shortfall of HK$3 billion on the project.
Speaking before an Executive Council meeting yesterday, Leung said the government was "very concerned" about the line, which had been due to open this year but will not be finished until 2018 at the earliest. Its budget has swelled from HK$65 billion to HK$85.3 billion.
"As the project manager, it [MTR] has the greatest responsibility and duty to complete the project in a cost-controlling manner," Leung said.
His rebuke came after Michael Tien Puk-sun, chairman of the Legislative Council's transport panel, warned the MTR had only HK$3 billion in funding left, but needed HK$6 billion for three outstanding projects, including a tunnel and giant canopy at the West Kowloon Terminus.
"In short, the money now left in the funds is not enough to cover the unfinished projects," said Tien, who chaired rail operator KCR before it was merged with the MTR in 2007.
If lawmakers did not approve additional funding, the MTR could be forced to halt work, pushing the completion date beyond 2018, he said, adding that contractors may then pull out and seek compensation.