Hong Kong has pushed ahead with its tunnel project plans with the award of another drainage contract to a JV contractor and giving the greenlight to planning for the extension to the rail network at the eastern section of the South Island line.
The design and build drainage contract – the second in a short time – is to build the 5.1km long Tsuen Wan drainage tunnel in Kowloon, and is worth US$144M. It was awarded to a JV contractor comprising Japan’s Maeda, Seli and China Railway Engineering. The project involves construction of the 6.5m i.d. tunnel and three intake structures plus an outfall at Yau Kom Tau, and is to be finished in 2011.
Hong Kong’s Drainage Services Department also awarded a contract last month for construction of the 10.5km long West Drainage Tunnel to a JV of Dragages and Nishimatsu. The contract value is US$352M, and the project involves construction of a tunnel with an internal diameter varying from 6.25m-7.25m (T&TI, December, p6). The project is to be finished in 2012.
The West Drainage Tunnel, which will be built on Hong Kong Island from Tai Hang to Pokfulam, includes 8km of connecting tunnels, and ancillary works. Both projects aim to solve flooding problems in the northern part of Hong Kong Island and Tsuen Wan, and Kwai Chung in Kowloon, by collecting stormwater for discharge into the sea. All tunnels are to be excavated by TBM.
Further work on the tunnelling mini-boom in Hong Kong took a step forward with MTR Corp winning approval from Parliament to undertake preliminary planning and design of the 7km long eastern section of the South Island line. Construction of the line is due to start in 2011 for completion by 2015.
