- 7
"With these considerations in mind, we concluded that the domestic passenger line from West Kowloon via Tsuen Wan, Kam Tin, Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai to Tuen Mun should be built first (Phase I), leaving the cross border passenger and freight services(Phase II) to a later date after further study," said Mr Gordon Siu.
"We anticipate that construction of Phase I could begin in mid 1998 and on the basis that land resumption, clearance and phased handing over of sites would proceed in parallel with construction, the project might be completed by end-2002 to Yuen Long and by September 2003 to Tuen Mun.
"The project cost as estimated by our consultants would be in the region of $50 billion and the KCRC would require direct government support of some $24 billion. These figures will need to be further refined as KCRC proceed with their technical studies.
Mr Siu also said that construction of the domestic passenger line first would reduce the land resumption and clearance requirements by some 40 percent compared with those in the original plan. It was now estimated that about 230 hectares of land would be required. Land resumption cost would be reduced from about $5.4 billion to $3.5 billion.
As regards TKE, Mr Siu said that the MTR extension would run from Po Lam via Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O, Tiu Keng Ling, Yau Tong and the Eastern Harbour Crossing to Quarry Bay, while the existing Kwun Tong Line (KTL) would interchange with the TKE at Yau Tong and Tiu Keng Leng.
He said that there was an urgent need on safety and operational grounds to extend the KTL beyond Quarry Bay to relieve congestion at the Quarry Bay Station - Quarry Bay Congestion Relief Works (QBR), irrespective of whether the TKE was
built.
"There is a need to extend the MTR to the Tseung Kwan O to provide a public mass transit system between the new town and the urban area.
"Our consultants have considered MTRC's proposal acceptable on operational grounds, though the mode of operation and technical details will need to be further refined at the detailed design stage.
"MTRC would therefore proceed with the detailed planning and design of the TKE. We aim to commence construction of the TKE in early 1999 for completion by mid 2002.