3 new Hong Kong mass transit systems will take at least 10 years to complete, transport chief says

Hong Kong's Transport Minister, Lam Sai-hung, has announced that the completion of three new mass transit systems in East Kowloon, Kai Tak, and Hung Shui Kiu will take at least a decade. The extended timeline is due to potential technical difficulties that may arise during the development process. On Tuesday, Lam unveiled a blueprint for Hong Kong's future transport infrastructure. He stated that the government has decided to implement eco-friendly and technologically advanced mass transit schemes in the aforementioned areas. These schemes include the 'SkyShuttle', 'Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit', and 'Bus Rapid Transit'.

For the transit systems in Kowloon East and Kai Tak, authorities will invite suppliers or operators to express their interest next year. This will help in finalising the details for alignments, technical specifications, and operational arrangements. Lam, who also serves as the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, admitted that the three projects might take longer than initially expected due to certain technical challenges. He pointed out that the completion might be between 2034 and 2038, as outlined in the blueprint.

The main challenge for Kowloon East is that the alignment will run through densely populated residential areas and hilly terrains. Therefore, careful planning and design are required to ensure the viability of the project. The aim is to cause minimal disturbance to the traffic and residents in the vicinity. Hence, a thorough analysis is needed, which might extend the completion timeline to 10 years or more. Lam pledged to expedite the project implementation so that residents can benefit from the transit system as soon as possible.