MTR Corporation announces plans to strengthen Hong Kong’s scandal-hit Hung Hom station – but repairs could take 18 months

City’s railway operator says buildings at Hung Hom station on the Sha Tin-Central rail link safe for construction to continue

Project’s troubled construction firm – Leighton Contractors – could be tasked with the lengthy repairs

Reading Time:3 minutes

The Hung Hom MTR station has been plagued by accusations of shoddy work and scandal since May 2018. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 7:00am, 19 Jul 2019Updated: 7:11am, 19 Jul 2019

Repairs at the scandal-hit station of Hong Kong’s most expensive rail link are expected to take up to 18 months and the project’s troubled contractor could be tasked with making the fixes.

The MTR Corporation on Thursday said the buildings at Hung Hom station on the Sha Tin-Central rail link were safe for construction to continue – but added that other measures would be required to address deficiencies and meet compliance.

The rail operator also announced a plan to open the Tai Wai-Kai Tak section of the link by the first quarter of next year. The company said trains could be running from Tai Wai to Hung Hom by the end of 2021.

The project’s total cost was expected to reach at least HK$99.1 billion (US$12.6 billion) – up from HK$97.1 billion without the partial opening. The MTR Corp would pay for the extra HK$2 billion but would also work with the government for an overall settlement for any other costs arising from problems at Hung Hom station.

A section of the Sha Tin-Central link could open before the end of 2019. Photo: Sam Tsang

Roger Bayliss, the MTR Corp’s projects director, insisted that the Hung Hom structures were safe for continuing construction, but admitted they failed to meet compliance.