Move faster on elevated Kai Tak mass transit system and consider extension, Hong Kong authorities urged
- Government proposes to build 3.5km elevated smart mass transit system in Kai Tak, with five stations, document submitted to district council says
- District councillor calls on authorities to consider extending the route to East Kowloon to invigorate Kai Tak area while lawmaker says construction should be hastened
Hong Kong authorities should speed up tendering and construction of an elevated mass transit system in Kai Tak and consider extending it to East Kowloon to invigorate the area, local politicians have said, with the government earlier ruling out any extension.
The government is proposing to build a 3.5km (2.2-mile) elevated smart mass transit system in Kai Tak, site of the city’s former airport, with five stations and a journey time of 10 minutes, according to a paper submitted by the Civil Engineering and Development Department to Kowloon City District Council.
The proposed five-stop system will run above ground along Shing Fung Road via Kai Tak MTR station, Kai Tak Sports Park, which houses a 50,000-seat stadium, Metro Park, a residential belt in the former runway area and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.
The government had considered connecting the system to Kowloon East, but dismissed the move as unsustainable because of the high cost of construction and technical constraints caused by the neighbouring densely developed areas, the paper said.
The department said the system would be a cost-effective option with relatively simple power support systems as overhead cables were not necessary, adding the project would go to tender in 2026 with the contract being approved in 2027. The proposal will be discussed at Thursday’s district council meeting.
The government plans to invite suppliers or operators to submit expressions of interest for the project later this year to finalise the details, including tender conditions.