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of assuring the financial viability of the system
is a
formidable task. And as the contract is to be awarded after
a negotiation and not by normal tendering procedures, it is
also a delicate task which will have to be handled with
extreme wariness and meticulous care.
Although the Government intends to conclude the contract as soon as possible, it will inevitably take some time.
Meanwhile, various items of preparatory work will continue
to be undertaken to ensure that no time will be lost while the
negotiation of the contract is under way. The Consulting Engineers will build up their organisation further and their brief will be modified to suit the particular requirements
of the single-contract approach. Soil investigations and other engineering research work will continue, as will arrangements for the acquisition or clearance of land required for the purposes of constructing the Mass Transit Railway.
Planning is in hand for the establishment of a Mass Transit
Railway Corporation, as well as for the diversion of utility services and traffic routings which will need to be undertaken during the construction phase. Finally, in advance of the
negotiated main contract, arrangements are being made for a
contract to be let by tender for site formation and associated
civil engineering works
at Kowloon Bay so
as to ensure that the workshops and administration building, which are critical items in the project programme, completed in good time.
1. A. Getwork done.
B. Window dressing.
$7mm.