THE cost of resuming land to build the Western Corridor Railway has doubled to $7 billion.
Deputy Secretary for Transport Paul Leung Sai-wah yesterday said the $3.5 billion original estimate was made in 1995 and the new estimate was based on today's prices.
'There is only a slight increase in the cost,' Mr Leung told a radio phone-in programme.
'The construction cost is still estimated at about $50 billion.' Buildings on 140 hectares of government land and 80 hectares of private land have to be removed.
There would be public hearings for the parties affected to voice their objection. Nine months would be needed to settle any objections.
The final proposal would be submitted to the Executive Council for approval and construction work would start in mid-1998 and the railway would be completed in September 2003, he said.
