Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying pressing the MTR Corporation to complete the high-speed link to Guangzhou as soon as possible and without further increases in budget, amid claims the railway operator had a shortfall of HK$3 billion (USD 383million) on the project, South China Morning Post reports.
Leung said the government was “very concerned” about the line, which had been due to open this year but will not be finished until 2018 at the earliest. Its budget has swelled from HK$65 billion (USD 8.3 billion) to HK$85.3 billion (USD 10.1 billion). “As the project manager, it [MTR] has the greatest responsibility and duty to complete the project in a cost-controlling manner,” Leung said.
His statement came after Michael Tien Puk-sun, chairman of the Legislative Council’s transport panel, warned the MTR had only HK$3 billion in funding left, but needed HK$6 billion (USD 766 million) for three outstanding projects, including a tunnel and giant canopy at the West Kowloon Terminus. “In short, the money now left in the funds is not enough to cover the unfinished projects,” said Tien.
If lawmakers did not approved additional funding, the MTR could be forced to halt work, pushing the completion date beyond 2018, he said, adding that contractors may then pull out and seek compensation.
An MTR spokeswoman denied contractors would pull out, adding that they were “working according to the construction schedules and performing their contractual obligations”. “We want to complete the project as soon as possible,” she added.
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