XN000022-1986-02-10 — Page 2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1986

90XING CLEVER OVER CONCRETE PLANS FOR HARBOUR TUNNEL

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WHEN WORK STARTS ON THE HK$3-BILLION EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING LATER THIS YEAR, IT WILL INVOLVE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCRETE- POURING OPERATIONS HONG KONG HAS EVER SEEN.

AT THE HEIGHT OF CONSTRUCTION THE CONTRACTORS WILL BE POURING 50 CUBIC METRES OF CONCRETE PER HOUR, 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FOR UP TO 16 MONTHS.

THE MASSIVE OPERATION, IN THE CHA KWO LING QUARRY, WILL PRODUCE 15 CONCRETE +BOXES+, EACH 115 METRES LONG, 30 METRES WIDE AND 10 METRES DEEP AND WEIGHING 35 000 TONNES.

THE +BOXES+, KNOWN OFFICIALLY AS PREFABRICATED, IMMERSED, RE-INFORCED, CONCRETE TUBE UNITS, WILL CONTAIN THE TWO RAIL, TWO ROAD AND VENTILATION TUNNELS WHICH WILL MAKE UP THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING.

FOR THE OPERATION THE CHA KWO LING QUARRY, WHICH WILL SUPPLY THE AGGREGATE FOR THE CONCRETE, WILL BE TURNED INTO A DRY DOCK AND A CHANNEL WILL BE BUILT CONNECTING IT TO THE HARBOUR. OF THE 15 UNITS IS COMPLETED IT WILL BE FLOATED ACROSS THE HARBOUR AS EACH AND LOWERED ON TO CONCRETE PADS CONSTRUCTED IN A TRENCH DREDGED ON THE HARBOUR FLOOR. THE UNITS WILL BE LOWERED INTO POSITION BY ANCHOR WINCHES ATTACHED TO TWO PURPOSE-BUILT PONTOONS.

ANY PROJECT OF THIS SIZE PRESENTS PROBLEMS, BUT ONE OF THE RIGGEST IN THIS CASE WILL BE TIME.

AS ONE ENGINEER ASSOCIATED WITH THE TUNNEL SAID: +TO COMPLETE $3 BILLION WORTH OF WORK OF THIS NATURE IN JUST THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS IS QUITE AN UNDERTAKING AND THE NEW HONG KONG TUNNEL CONSORTIUM, WHO WILL BE BUILDING THE TUNNEL, WILL HAVE TO EMPLOY SEVERAL CONTRACTORS.+

TO HELP OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS AND SMOOTH THE WAY FOR THE CONSORTIUM AND ITS SUB-CONTRACTORS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS SET UP A SPECIAL UNIT OF THE ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. KNOWN AS THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING TEAM, ITS JOB IS TO EASE THE PATH THROUGH THE MANY LAWS AND ORDINANCES THAT HAVE TO BE OBSERVED WHILE THE TUNNEL IS BEING BUILT TO ENSURE THAT THE WORK IS NOT HELD UP.

WITH THE TUNNEL INTENDED AS AN IMPORTANT LINK IN HONG KONG'S RAPIDLY-DEVELOPING MODERN TRAFFIC NETWORK, THE GOVERNMENT IS MAINTAINING A WATCHING BRIEF OVER THE PROJECT.

THE HEAD OF THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING TEAM, MR KEITH FUTCHER, SAID: +CERTAIN PROVISIONS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN INTO THE CONTRACT TO ENSURE THE PUBLIC'S AND THE GOVERNMENT'S INTEREST ARE PROTECTED, AFTER ALL, THIS IS, IN A SENSE, A PUBLIC UTILITY.+

HƯNG CUNG