HONG KONG - The Commission of Inquiry criticized both the Mass Transit Railway Corporation and Leighton Contractors (Asia), main contractor of the link, for serious deficiencies in their management and supervision systems over defective construction work at Hung Hom station.
But the commission said in a report that the box structure of the Hung Hom Station extension of the Sha Tin-Central Link is now safe and "fit for purpose".
Though the experts’ advice show that the existing structure is safe, the commission recommended ongoing monitoring of the station structure for up to 5 years to reassure the public
Unveiling the long-awaited report, Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan Fan said that the government is considering setting up a designated team to monitor rail projects in future.
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The government-appointed commission, consisting of judges and engineering experts, was formed in July 2018 after the project's main contractor Leighton was found to have changed the supporting diaphragm walls of Hung Hom Station extension without authorization. Leighton had also improperly cut the reinforcement bars so that they could be fitted into the couplers.
In early 2019, the MTRC, which was tasked to supervise and manage the project, also found that the contractor couldn’t provide a large portion of its as-built records, after the incidents surfaced.
The commission was formed to probe the substandard work and non-compliance in the project.
The government, which oversees the project, has to bear a measure of responsibility, according to the final report.
Though the experts’ advice show that the existing structure is safe, the commission recommended ongoing monitoring of the station structure for up to 5 years to reassure the public.
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The commission also urged the MTRC to ensure the quality of its projects and the government to improve its monitoring and implementation mechanisms.
Chan said the government welcomes the conclusions of the investigation and respects the recommendations listed in the report.
He said that the government will follow up the relevant issues in accordance with the panel’s suggestions and learn the lesson from the incident.
Work on the 17-kilometer Sha Tin-Central Link project commenced in 2012 at the revised cost of HK$97.1 billion. The first phase of the Tuen Ma line, part of the link, began operation on Feb 14.
