To enhance public understanding of new railway projects, the project team has been actively communicating with different stakeholders to introduce project information and share progress updates. Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line is expected to be the first new station to commence service in the new wave of MTR railway projects. Riding on the commencement of the construction works in September 2023, the team has recently been pioneering a series of briefings and events with different stakeholders.
In January, we invited a group of railway enthusiasts to participate in the "Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line Railway Fans Gathering" and visit the Kwu Tung Station construction site.
To familiarise more stakeholders with the construction challenges of Kwu Tung Station, MTR Corporation organised a railway fans gathering with the theme of "New Railway Projects" for the first time.
The sharing was unveiled following a light-hearted interactive session between the team and the railway fans. The speaker, Mr Oscar Wong, Chief Construction Manager – Northern Link Civil shared his experience of working on major MTR railway expansion projects and introduced Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line in detail, including its history, construction challenges and features. He also answered questions from railway fans about the future station.
With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Mr Oscar Wong, Chief Construction Manager – Northern Link Civil, has rich experience in constructing stations and railway facilities.
At the gathering, Oscar shared the story behind Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line. Part of the tunnel structure works was completed in 2003 during the construction of the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, including the tunnel box at the underground track level. This facilitates the use of the "cut-and-cover" construction method for the construction of the new platforms, concourse and entrances above the tunnel during the future construction of Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line, which helps to ensure the train service of the existing East Rail Line is unaffected during the construction of the new station. Kwu Tung Station is the first MTR station to be constructed directly atop and on the same level as an operating railway tunnel.
The railway fans were very excited to chat with Oscar, who has rich experience in railway construction. They welcomed the arrangement of visiting the construction site, thinking it would help them better understand the challenges of building a new station atop an operating railway tunnel.
Interactive sessions were interspersed throughout the gathering to test the railway fans' knowledge of Kwu Tung Station and its vicinity.
At the gathering, Oscar also illustrated how we have further enhanced site safety and safety management culture, strengthened quality assurance and monitored construction progress by adopting innovative technologies. These include Building Information Modelling (BIM), Common Data Environment (CDE), 4D visualisation and photogrammetry, Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) and Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), as well as actively promoting "Smart Construction Sites" and applying various smart devices at the construction site of Kwu Tung Station.
Among them, the "smart tool tracking system" can track the location of tools via the QR codes attached to them, ensuring that no tools are left in the railway tunnel after the team completes work on the track during non-traffic hours, thereby helping to safeguard the railway tunnel and facilities.
Mr Oscar Wong, Chief Construction Manager – Northern Link Civil introduced the construction challenges and features of the station at the construction site of Kwu Tung Station.
Railway fans took part in VR safety training at the Kwu Tung Station construction site that simulates risky work conditions during construction.
The Kwu Tung Station construction site visit received overwhelming support and appreciation from railway fans.
In addition, the project team invited several newspaper representatives and TV stations to join an interview about Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line.
Mr Dominic Law, Project Manager of the Northern Link (Tunnel), explained the features of Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line.
"The innovative technologies and measures adopted to overcome the construction challenges of the Kwu Tung Station project will serve as an important reference for future new railway projects facing similar construction challenges and provide valuable experience that helps support the development of other new railway projects," said Mr Dominic Law, Project Manager of the Northern Link (Tunnel) during the media interview.
The media visited the construction site at Kwu Tung Station to know more about the future station and its vicinity, as well as the design considerations.
Apart from the railway fans gathering and the media interview, we also proactively shared the latest information on new railway projects with the Major Infrastructure Working Group under the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) earlier. The event included a briefing on Kwu Tung Station and the Tuen Mun South Extension in terms of their design and construction challenges, as well as how we proactively overcome those challenges with technology and innovation.
The project team has maintained effective communication with the construction industry and exchanged ideas on facilitating the development of new railway projects through interactive sharing.
Located between Sheung Shui and Lok Ma Chau stations, Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line will be in the town centre of the future Kwu Tung North New Development Area (NDA), targeted for completion in 2027.
