XN000022-1977-07-27 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1977

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WORK ON MTR-KCR INTERCHANGE AWAITING GREEN SIGNAL

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WORK ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MASS TRANS IT RAILWAY KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY INTERCHANGE STATION AT KOWLOON TONG WOULD GO AHEAD IF ELECTRIFICATION OF THE K.C.R. IS PROPOSED AND ACCEPTED, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG ON THE RESULT OF GOVERNMENT'S INVESTIGATION INTC THE FEASIBILITY OF A M.T.R. - K.C.R. INTERCHANGE STATION AT KOWLOON TONG,

MR. JONES SAID WHEN DR. CHUNG ASKED A SIMILAR QUESTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL JUST OVER A YEAR AGO, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS HAD ADVISED THAT THE FEASIBILITY OF A K.C.R.-M. T.R. INTERCHANGE STATION AT KOWLOON TONG WAS DEPENDENT UPON OTHER INVESTIGATIONS WHICH WERE IN HAND, PARTICULARLY CONCERNING THE MODERNISATION OF THE K.C.R.

MR. JONES POINTED OUT THAT BECAUSE OF OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH THE STEEPNESS OF THE GRADIENT TO THE BEACON HILL TUNNEL, A STATION AT KOWLOON TONG AND A CONSEQUENT INTERCHANGE FACILITY WITH THE M.T.R. WILL ONLY BE FEASIBLE WITH ELECTRIFIED TRAINS.

HE SAID THAT A CONSULTANCY TO STUDY THE MODERNISATION AND POSSIBLE EXTENSION OF THE K.C.R. HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED AND THE CONSULTANTS HAVE BEEN AT WORK SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO REPORT IN THE AUTUMN AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WILL INCLUDE ADVICE ON WHETHER, AND BY WHAT MEANS, THE K.C.R. SHOULD BE ELECTRIFIED.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION IS PROCEEDING WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF ITS STATION AT KOWLOON TONG AND IT HAS MOD IF IED THE DESIGN TO INCLUDE THE POSSIBILITY OF A CONNECTION WITH A K.C.R. STATION. THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO ALMOST COMPLETED ARRANGEMENTS FOR A FURTHER CONSULTANCY TO BE COMMISSIONED ON THE DESIGN OF THE K.C.R. STATION AND OF THE INTERCHANGE WITH THE M.T.R. ALONG WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPACE OVER THE STATION.

MR. JONES SAID ALTHOUGH WE MUST AWAIT THE CONSULTANTS' REPORTS ON THESE POSSIBILITIES AND THEIR EVALUATION, HE BELIEVED THAT GIVEN THE EXPECTED GROWTH IN POPULATION IN SHA TIN NEW TOWN AND FURTHER UP THE LINE, THE ELECTRIFICATION OF A DOUBLE-TRACKED RAILWAY WILL PROVE TO BE WELL WORTH WHILE.

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+ IF SO, THE BUILDING OF THIS INTERCHANGE BETWEEN THE TWO RAILWAYS WILL BE A VERY IMPORTANT ADDITION TO OUR TRANSPORT SYSTEM, LINKING AS IT WILL THE NEW TOWN OF SHA TIN WITH WESTERN KOWLOON AND HONG KONG ISLAND IN ONE DIRECTION AND KWUN TONG IN THE OTHER,+ HE SAID.