******************************************************
In response to media enquiries on the works progress of the West Kowloon Terminus (WKT) of the Hong Kong section of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL), a Transport and Housing Bureau (THB) spokesman said today (April 28):
The progress report (for the period ending June 30, 2013) that the Government submitted to Legislative Council (LegCo) Subcommittee on Matters Relating to Railways on November 22 last year (Paper number: CB(1)81/13-14(01)) was prepared based on information provided by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL). The report pointed out that structural works at the southern end of the WKT reached the lowest level B4. For the northern part of the WKT, excavation works reached the lowest level (i.e. B4) and construction of the main structure by bottom-up approach continued (See Annex 1).
In addition, the MTRCL reported the progress of the construction works of XRL for the period ending mid-November 2013 at the LegCo Subcommittee on Matters Relating to Railways on November 22 last year with a powerpoint presentation carrying relevant information (Paper number: CB(1)392/13-14(02)) (See Annex 2).
In preparing the progress reports, the Transport and Housing Bureau and Highways Department based the information on the progress submitted by the MTRCL regularly to the Highways Department as well as assessment reports submitted by the department's independent consultant. The department would request the MTRCL for explanation when there are doubts on the information to ensure the accuracy of the progress reports to be submitted to the LegCo.
According to the information provided by MTRCL to the Highways Department in mid-April 2014, the excavation works at level B4 of the WKT was in progress.
Regarding comments made by the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Matters Relating to Railways after this morning's site visit to the construction site of WKT, we have already asked the MTRCL to clarify these points with the public as soon as possible to set the record straight.
Ends/Monday, April 28, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:56
NNNN