Hong Kong's MTR downplays water leaks in new stations
Executive says issues are common and no danger to trains or structure
The MTR Corporation on Monday sought to allay concerns that leaking water found at its three new stations on the West Island Line would compromise train safety and the structure of the stations.
It said the problem, which the company's head of operations Francis Li Shing-kee said was common, had nothing to do with the rush to open the HK$18.5 billion project at the end of last year.
Signs warning commuters of wet floors were prominent in Kennedy Town, HKU and Sai Ying Pun stations after water was found dripping from pipes or seeping from walls in multiple locations. Workers were also deployed to keep the floor dry.
A passenger who gave her surname as Tsang said she feared children may slip on the water, or something worse might happen. "If it causes a short circuit, the train will stop and we will be trapped," she said.
But Li reassured commuters that would not happen. "The water leakage in the station definitely has no impact on the station's structure," he said. "I can assure you that it would not affect the train operation at all."
Li said high underground water pressure at the HKU station, which is built 70 metres below ground, meant leaks would not be uncommon. He said the MTR would work with contractors to either fix the problem with grouting or divert the water somewhere else.