The proposed Sha Tin-Central rail line faces further uncertainty and possible delays after it was revealed yesterday that the government was still studying a number of key issues, including whether to implement the project in phases.
The Environment, Transport and Works Bureau said it was examining the option of building the section between Tai Wai and Hung Hom first, and completing the remaining section to Hong Kong Island later.
It said it was also looking into the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation's proposed route for the link, in view of the impact from infrastructure projects planned along the line, and whether to proceed with all or just part of the link, a bureau spokesman said.
On top of that, the KCRC's proposal for an automated people-mover throughout the line and the MTR Corporation's proposed extension of the Kwun Tong line to Whampoa district were still being considered.
Democratic Party legislator Andrew Cheng Kar-foo, chairman of the Legislative Council's transport panel, said authorities must convince lawmakers of any changes to the rail link, which he said was deemed to be one of the government's high-priority projects in its 2000 Railway Development Strategy.
Fellow lawmaker Lau Kong-wah, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said if the project was built in phases or the cross-harbour section of the link did not proceed, it would undermine the prime objective of having the link - taking people in the eastern New Territories directly to Central.
