Leighton Prosecuted Over MTR Construction Fiasco

Transport Secretary Frank Chan told legislators on Wednesday that the Buildings Department has launched a prosecution against construction company Leighton, the main contractor responsible for the botched extension to Hung Hom MTR Station.

Last month, a commission of inquiry report slammed the firm and the MTR Corporation for "serious deficiencies" in work carried out to prepare Hung Hom Station to accommodate trains as part of the future Shatin-Central Link.

The inquiry, established after a whistleblower revealed corner-cutting involving the reinforcements for a new platform, found there had been poor craftmanship, bad management and lax oversight.

Chan said the government is looking closely at the recommendations made in the report before deciding what steps to take.

But he said legal action against Leighton has already begun.

"The Buildings Department prosecuted the contractor, Leighton, under Cap 123 of the Buildings Ordinance, on the 15th of May this year," Chan said.

"Since the case has entered the judicial process, it is not appropriate to comment at this stage," he added.

With a budget of around HK$90 billion, the Shatin-Central Link is the costliest rail project ever in Hong Kong.

It has been plagued with problems, including missing paperwork, subsidence, and building work carried out with unapproved designs.

The link, which will eventually run from Tai Wai Station to Admiralty, is not expected to open fully until the first quarter of 2022. Trains are already running on part of the new line, from Tai Wai to Kai Tak.