MTR Corp begins breaking open platforms at rail station linked to Hong Kong construction scandal

Experts, officials and police descend on Hung Hom station for work that is expected to take several months

Safety fears surround move for part of city’s most expensive rail project, the HK$97.1 billion Sha Tin-Central link

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Officials expect to break open 80 different sections of platform at Hung Hom station. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 11:41am, 10 Dec 2018Updated: 11:26pm, 10 Dec 2018

Experts, officials and police officers arrived at Hung Hom station on Monday morning and began to break open two platforms as part of the investigation into allegations that workers had cut corners during the construction process.

The building work on Hong Kong’s most expensive rail project, the HK$97.1 billion (US$12.4 billion) Sha Tin-Central link, is the subject of a commission of inquiry and has been the focus of much speculation since the scandal broke in May.

Representatives from the MTR Corporation, the Highways Department and the Buildings Department went to the construction site at about 7am. A police source told the Post officers would collect information at the platforms and send the materials to a government laboratory to be examined.

Information about the construction at Hung Hom will be sent to a government laboratory for analysis. Photo: Dickson Lee

“Police were called in to investigate a faulty work scandal and alleged fake inspection records earlier this year,” the source said. “It is important for us to get to the scene to collect relevant materials to proceed with the probe.

“As the main contractor [Leighton Construction (Asia)] was accused of instructing a subcontractor to cut corners, we need to see inside the platform in the presence of professionals. Police officers cannot just go and dig up the platform as we have no such technical knowledge.”