Partial opening of scandal-hit Sha Tin-Central MTR link set for Valentine’s Day, Hong Kong transport minister reveals
- Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan says date is good amid ‘gloomy sentiment’, with rail giant to announce ‘surprises’
- Move will push up total costs to record HK$99.1 billion for city’s most expensive rail project
The long-awaited partial opening of Hong Kong’s scandal-hit Sha Tin-Central rail link is set for Valentine’s Day, the city’s transport minister has confirmed.
Speaking after the Legislative Council’s transport panel meeting on Friday, Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan Fan said the first part of the city’s most expensive rail project – a section from Tai Wai to Kai Tak through Hin Keng and Diamond Hill – would be operational by February 14.
“We believe this is a good day amid the current gloomy sentiment. The MTR Corporation will announce the details and has some surprises for us about its arrangement,” he said. “The Transport Department will liaise with all transport operators to provide connecting services.”
The Post was told a trial run for the Tai Wai-Kai Tak stretch was conducted in October last year, gaining approval from the government.
The project’s total cost will balloon to a record HK$99.1 billion (US$12.7 billion) at least – from HK$97.1 billion – because of the extra cost for the partial opening, as well as reinforcement work for the Hung Hom station.
While the embattled rail operator will provisionally pay HK$2 billion of the extra costs, it will work with the government for an overall settlement.
Chan said: “We are still negotiating with the MTR Corp about the project’s final cost.”
The Tai Wai to Hung Hom section was initially expected to open in the middle of 2019, after an earlier target of December 2018 was pushed back by construction delays.
MTR reports shoddy-work findings on Sha Tin-Central link to police
Chan said the MTR team was working hard to finish reinforcement work at Hung Hom station, with the stretch expected to be opened by the end of 2021.
As for the cross-harbour section between Hung Hom and Admiralty, its opening was earlier delayed till the first quarter of 2022 from the already revised target of the fourth quarter of 2021. The company cited vandalism of another line by radical protesters amid the ongoing anti-government protests for the latest postponement.
Hong Kong has been roiled by more than seven months of civil unrest sparked by the now-withdrawn extradition bill. The movement has since morphed into a wider campaign against the government and police, with often-violent clashes between protesters and officers.
In a Legco paper, the MTR Corp said the expanded Diamond Hill station would become an interchange facility between the Sha Tin-Central link and the Kwun Tong line.
Under the fare tables revealed by the rail operator, the single journey fare between Central and Kai Tak will be HK$12.7 for adult Octopus users. The fare will be HK$9.3 between Tai Wai and Kai Tak.
The rail giant will also roll out a special “Hin Keng/Kai Tak station fare discount” to celebrate the link’s partial opening.
Adult Octopus holders can save HK$1 when travelling on MTR’s domestic and cross-boundary journeys by entering or exiting at Hin Keng or Kai Tak stations, while children and student Octopus holders will enjoy a HK$0.5 fare discount.
The MTR said the promotion would last until the full commissioning of the Tai Wai-Hung Hom section.
The rail firm said it would also introduce a special interchange discount of HK$1 for adult Octopus users at designated MTR stations and on four green minibus and eighteen franchised bus routes. Other Octopus holders can save HK$0.5 for this interchange promotion.
It said existing fare concessions such as “MTR City Saver” and early bird discounts would also be extended to the section.
