XN000022-1977-08-18 — Page 2

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1977

NEW $56M SHA TIN STATION IN 1979

*****

A NEW $56 MILLION RAILWAY STATION IS TO BE BUILT AT SHA TIN NEW TOWN WHICH WILL RIVAL THE HUNG HOM TERMINUS IN DESIGN AND FACILITIES FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF PASSENGERS.

THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS ABOUT TO CALL TENDERS FOR THE FIRST STAGE OF THE REDEVELOPMENT TO COPE WITH THE EXTRA RAIL TRAFFIC RESULTING FROM THE GROWTH OF THE NEW TOWN.

THE ACTING CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE RAILWAY DIVISION OF THE P.W.D.'S CIVIL ENGINEERING OFFICE, MR. LEUNG MIN-SUN, SAID TODAY THAT IN THE FIRST STAGE, THE NUMBER OF TRACKS PASSING THROUGH THE STATION WILL BE INCREASED FROM THREE TO FOUR.

+TWO MORE COVERED ISLAND PLATFORMS WILL ALSO BE BUILT

TO PERMIT MORE CONVENIENT ACCESS TO TRAINS, AND IMPROVE PASSENGER SAFETY BY SEGREGATING THEM FROM THE TRACKS. + HE SAID.

MR. LEUNG ADDED THAT THE PRESENT CONTRACT WILL INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGE WORKS, EARTHWORKS AND THE PROVISION OF SERVICES.

IN THE NEXT STAGE, A NEW STATION WILL BE BUILT ON A REINFORCED CONCRETE PODIUM EXTENDING OVER THE PLATFORMS AND RAILWAY TRACKS.

MR. LEUNG SAID THAT THE STATION CONCOURSE WILL BE LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE 2,600 PASSENGERS AND WILL PROVIDE FACILITIES TO RIVAL THOSE AVAILABLE AT HUNG HOM,+

+ IT WILL INCORPORATE BOOKING AND STATION-MASTER OFFICES, A PUBLIC RESTAURANT AND BAR, A BOOKSTALL, A MINI-BANK AND A CANTEEN AND CHANGING ROOMS FOR KCR STAFF.+

MR. LEUNG SAID THAT THE NEW STATION COMPLEX WOULD BE COMMISSIONED TOWARDS THE END OF 1979.

+AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, HE SAID, +DOUBLE TRACKING BETWEEN HUNG HOM AND LO WU SHOULD BE COMPLETED, CONSIDERABLY IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE NEW TOWN.+

THE REDEVELOPMENT PLANS ALSO CALL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO ADDITIONAL TRACKS WITHIN THE SHA TIN STATION BOUNDARY FOR THE STABLING AND MARSHALLING OF GOODS TRAINS.

0

12