ExclusiveHong Kong MTR shoddy-work scandal: Hung Hom station site safe, no need for demolition, inquiry panel says
- MTR Corp management, main contractor and whistle-blower lambasted, source says
- City leader Carrie Lam and Executive Council to decide this month on panel’s findings
A high-level investigation into a construction scandal at Hong Kong’s costliest rail link has concluded that the project is safe and there is no need for demolition work, the Post has learned.
The government-appointed commission of inquiry headed by former judge Michael Hartmann said in its final report that the Hung Hom station of the HK$90.7 billion (US$11.7 billion) Sha Tin-Central rail link met safety integrity standards, according to a source.
The commission submitted its report to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on March 27. The source said the report was due to go before the Executive Council on May 12 for endorsement.
The saga, which has dragged on for two years, centres on allegations of shoddy work at the Hung Hom station site. In the midst of investigations, vital documents relating to the project went missing. As the scandal unfolded, a number of senior people at rail operator the MTR Corporation resigned.