The Chief Executive in Council has authorised the construction of the Mass Transit Railway's (MTR) extension line to Tseung Kwan O, a fast growing new district in Kowloon.

The TKE project is one of the five railway projects the Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government will be taking forward vigorously over the next few years. The investment in these projects are part of the C$47 billion the SAR Government plans to spend on infrastructure developments over the next five years.

Mr. Donald Tong, the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office of the SAR Government in Canada, pointed out that the 12.5 km long TKE would become the subway's sixth operational line.

"Upon completion, the TKE will provide a mass transportation system linking the Tseung Kwan O new town and Yau Tong to other parts of Hong Kong via the existing MTR lines.

"It will help avoid congestion on parallel roads and provide a reliable, safe, and environmental friendly transport mode for a new town with fast growing traffic demand," Mr. Tong said.

There will be five new stations namely Yau Tong, Tiu Keng Leng, Tseung Kwan O, Hang Hau and Po Lam and a depot. A further station will be added at the depot as soon as residential development builds up.

Estimated at a cost of C$ 6 billion, construction work of the new subway line will start before the end of 1998 and is scheduled for completion in December 2002. The project will create over 9,000 job opportunities.

Earlier, the Chief Executive in Council had also given approval for the planning and construction of the territory's second railway, West Rail, linking West Kowloon and Northwest New Territories.

Costing about C$13 billion, the West Rail, will complement the current line running from urban Kowloon to the Hong Kong-China border at Lowu.

The West Rail will create 13,000 jobs in the next few years, with 14 main civil contracts being awarded by mid-1999. It will be a 30.5 kilometres long, electrified and double track railway.

For further information please contact Chief Information Officer, Frank Chuan, at telephone no. (416) 924-5544.