Substandard Work Continued At Exhibition Station

The MTR Corporation said on Tuesday that the contractor in charge of the construction of the Exhibition Centre Station of the Shatin-Central Link has failed to put in sufficient supporting steel structures while conducting excavation works at the site.

In its report, the railway said excavation works have now stalled and the main contractor Leighton-China State joint venture has submitted a remedial proposal to the company.

But it stressed there was no evidence to show that the inadequate supports had posed any safety risks.

When asked if the contractor would be penalised for the substandard works, the MTR's CEO Lincoln Leong said: "we would look within the contract that we have with the contractor what actions can be taken within that contract."

"In future tendering, we would of course look at the performance of contractors when we consider them for future tenders," he added.

The Highways Department issued a statement expressing dismay that the contractor had continued with excavation work exceeding the allowable depth, before the installation of the final layer of temporary steel struts, and that the MTRC had allowed the situation to persist for a prolonged period.

In addition, the Highways Department said it was unacceptable that the MTRC had failed to timely notify the department about incidents relating to the construction of the Exhibition Centre station, and the Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan stations.