Liu Lei, head of the traffic-directing team at the construction site of Central Government-aided Emergency Hospital in Lok Ma Chau, speaks with team memebers in early April. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
“I have participated in many emergency construction projects, yet this has been by far the most intense.”
Liu Lei, who heads the traffic-directing team at the construction project of Central Government-aided Emergency Hospital in Lok Ma Chau, made the remarks to China Daily on Thursday.
Since arriving in Lok Ma Chau in March 6, the day the project kicked off, the veteran construction worker has been working 18-hour days, starting as early as 7:30 am and not finishing until 2 to 3 am.
It was very intense. There was no concrete road, all dirt ground, and it then became muddy on rainy days. But the progress couldn’t afford to be delayed, so we carried on.
Liu Lei, head of the traffic-directing team at the construction project of Central Government-aided Emergency Hospital in Lok Ma Chau
“Each day has been memorable for me, and all of us have faced pressure resulting from the epidemic, monsoon season, high heat and weariness,” he said.
Responsible for organizing and directing traffic on the construction site, Liu said it was a bumpy road at first. “It was very intense. There was no concrete road, all dirt ground, and it then became muddy on rainy days. But the progress couldn’t afford to be delayed, so we carried on.”
The average daily traffic flow at the peak of the project reached 2,883 vehicles, with over 400 pieces of equipment and more than 20,000 personnel involved in the construction. With no automated system on site, all traffic is directed manually though loudspeakers, according to the company.
ALSO READ: Business leader: HK not alone in battle against pandemic
The hard work has weighed on the builders, with quite a few catching colds or having sprains, including Liu himself, he said, coughing now and then. Fortunately, these conditions can be cared for well at the on-site medical facility, he added.
Liu Lei, head of the traffic-directing team at the construction site of Central Government-aided Emergency Hospital in Lok Ma Chau, poses for a photo on April 7, 2022. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
“Many of us on-site are very hardworking. We are here for the same goal and there’s a timeline. … The reason I came here … is that all men bear responsibility for the need of the country. As for myself, I came because it is just my duty.”
Born in Tangshan, Hebei province, in North China, and in the construction business for 15 years, Liu confessed that his family is always in his mind. “I miss them very much. I have a 4-month-old daughter in my hometown, as well as my wife. I haven’t seen them since the Chinese New Year.”
The husband and father said he tries to squeeze in a moment to have a video call with his loved ones every day. “They aren’t long, only 10 minutes or so.”
“I hope the pandemic will end soon. All of us have poured in a great deal of effort into building the hospital,” Liu said, adding that he looks forward to reuniting with his family after the construction is complete. “It won’t be long.”
READ MORE: Tang: People-centered approach at central govt-built centers
As one of the anti-pandemic facilities under full support from the central government, the construction in the Lok Ma Chau Loop — organized by China Construction Science and Industry Corp — involves the building of a hospital for emergency use, as well as community isolation and treatment facilities. Thursday marked the completion of the makeshift hospital’s first phase, which provides about 1,000 beds.
