French win tunnel contract
AN $856 million contract for the construction of the Cheung Ching Tunnel on Tsing Yi Island was yesterday awarded to French contractors Dragages Et Travaux Publics.
Seven groups had prequalified to compete for the tunnel and associated roadworks contract, the first of three contracts for Route Three of the Airport Core Programme.
Dragages' bid had been the lowest of the formal tenders.
The contract is a major element in the Airport Core Programme's highways network linking the new airport at Chek Lap Kok and Tung Chung New Town to Kowloon and Central.
The tunnel will be one section of Route Three, a major north-south highway linking the China border and northwest New Territories with West Kowloon via Tsing Yi.
It will comprise a 1.6 kilometre dual three-lane twin-bored tunnel, with two tunnel portal control buildings and 0.9 km of associated roadworks.
Construction work will start next month and is due to be completed by January 1997.
The works have already been designed and will be supervised for the Government's Highways Department by SPHW Consultants, headed by Scott, Wilson, Kirkpatrick and Partners.
It was the latest in a string of major local contracts won by Dragages over the past year.
Last February, Dragages won a $710 million contract to redevelop the Hongkong Stadium for the Royal Hongkong Jockey Club.
This was followed in May by a $109 million deal to build an additional plane bridge at Kai Tak.
Other major Government and private Hongkong construction contracts won previously range from the Lion Rock Tunnel to Pacific Place in Admiralty.
Dragages has also bid to take part in the Central and Wan Chai reclamation project, which will include the Central terminus for the new airport railway.
It is understood the Government has shortlisted two consortiums, one led by Dragages, Penta Ocean Construction and Bache Solentanche and the other by Shui On and China Fujian, for the tendering of the project.
