Amendments to Kowloon Southern Link Gazetted

The Government published in the Gazette today (January 7) under section 7 of the Railways Ordinance proposed amendments to the Kowloon Southern Link (KSL) scheme of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC). 

The KSL aims to serve as a strategic link between the West Rail and East Rail.  It will provide a fast and convenient railway link for over a million residents in the North West New Territories to reach the Tsim Sha Tsui area using the West Rail or to connect to other areas served by the East Rail without the need to interchange.

As the KSL scheme gazetted in March 2004, the railway line will run from the existing West Rail terminus at Nam Cheong Station to the East Rail East Tsim Sha Tsui Station.  There will be one new station in-between, on Canton Road at the site now being occupied by the Canton Road Government Offices. 

A Government spokesman said, "The proposed amendments gazetted are to address some of the concerns expressed in the objections submitted to the Government when the proposed KSL scheme was gazetted in March 2004; to accommodate the latest design changes proposed by the KCRC; and to take account of changes to site constraints that have arisen since March 2004.  In the main, the proposed changes aim to minimize disruption to members of the public during the construction and operation of the KSL."

The proposed KSL will be entirely underground.  The railway tunnels along Canton Road and underneath the Former Marine Police Headquarters will be constructed by the bored tunnelling method to minimize impacts on the adjacent environment.  Other than the excavation works that need to be carried out within the works site near the Canton Road Government Offices for the new station and introducing the tunnel boring machine, the works that need to be carried out at the street level along Canton Road will be small in scale so as to minimize the impact on the environment in the neighbourhood.

As regards the section of tunnels along Salisbury Road, it is necessary to construct it by the cut-and-cover method to avoid possible hazards to the adjacent buildings, the existing utilities and the very important MTR Tsuen Wan Line tunnel along Nathan Road.

The Government has asked the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) to verify the tunnelling method with the aim of ensuring that the method to be adopted would cause the least inconvenience to the public.  CityU has confirmed that the cut-and-cover method would be the most appropriate method for constructing the tunnels along Salisbury Road.

While the KSL works are in progress, a Community Liaison Group will be formed to collect and hear the views from representatives of local residents and shop operators so that the impact and nuisance arising from KCRC's works will be minimized as far as possible.  Furthermore, there will be a Site Liaison Group formed by various Government departments such as Police, Transport Department and Highways Department etc. to vet and approve the traffic diversion schemes in great details.

The Government spokesman said, "In fact, the cut-and-cover method would be more costly, lengthy and difficult for the KCRC Contractor, as compared with bored tunnelling.  The KCRC would work closely with the relevant government departments and the other parties concerned including shop operator representatives to minimize the disturbance that the construction works may cause."

Subject to authorization of the KSL scheme by the Chief Executive in Council, the KCRC will start the KSL works in mid-2005 for completion in 2009.

Under the Railways Ordinance, members of the public have the right to lodge objections to the amendments to the KSL scheme gazetted today between now and March 8, 2005.  Any person who has a compensatable interest may be eligible for claiming compensation under the Railways Ordinance.

The amendments to the scheme and the relevant plans are available for public inspection at the Central and Western District Office, the Sham Shui Po District Office, the Yau Tsim Mong District Office and the Kowloon West District Lands Office during office hours.

End/Friday, January 7, 2005