HONG KONG'S MTR OPENS ISLAND LINE

The Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway corporation, formed by ordinance in 1975, opered its first line, the Modified Initial System to Kwun Tong in Kowloon some 7 weeks ahead of schedule and within budget; its performance was repeated with the second line in 1982. The Island Line is expected to follow this pattern. The Island Line, considered the most complex, was planned through such varied ground conditions as old reclamations from the sea, marine and alluvial deposits, decomposed granite, and occasional competent rock. Bored tunnels were generally used for station platforms for the first time in Hong Kong. Various construction techniques were used by local and foreign contractors. A schedule advance of 12 months was met by adding further tunnel access shafts down the running line level before the overall design was finalized and the tenders let. Good management has been the key to the project. Carrying more than 1.15 million passengers daily on 26 route kilometers, the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway is the most densely utilized urban mass transit in the world. The automatic ticketing system uses plastic tickets the size of credit cards, and the corporation intends to use such tickets on both rail and bus lines. Surveillance by a special division of the Royal Hong Kong Police, along with safety-oriented design features, has produced a system virtually free from crime. Before depreciation, revenues from fares, advertising, and rentals cover more than twice the operating costs. Construction costs plus interest are expected to be paid by the end of the second decase of operation. Various financial instruments funded the project, including the sale of commercial and residential property above and around stations and depots. When all such developments are complete, the corporation will probably be the third largest property management company in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway Corporation is now offering its services in design and project management to other nations in the Far East.

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• Publication Date: 1985

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: 2 p.
• Serial:
  • China Transport
  • Volume: 1
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: China Nuclear Information Centre
  • ISSN: 0258-3259

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Financing; Passenger volume; Project management; Rapid transit; Safety factors; Security; Ticketing; Tunneling
• Geographic Terms: Hong Kong (China)
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Bridges and other structures; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00399731
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 31 1985 12:00AM