The following is issued on behalf of the Commission of Inquiry into the Construction Works at and near the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link Project:
The Commission of Inquiry into the Diaphragm Wall and Platform Slab Construction Works at the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link Project was appointed by the Chief Executive in Council on July 10, 2018.
In view of the extensive scope of the inquiry, the complexity of the matters under examination and the large number of witnesses involved, the Commission needed an extension of time to consider the evidence and complete its report, and obtained the approval of the Chief Executive in Council on December 4, 2018, to submit its report by February 26, 2019.
The Commission conducted 46 days of substantive hearing between October 22, 2018 and January 29, 2019, and heard evidence from 72 witnesses. In addition, the Commission admitted 14 witness statements and an expert report as evidence without the witnesses being called to give evidence at the substantive hearing.
On February 19, 2019, the Chief Executive in Council expanded the terms of reference of the Commission to inquire also into the problems concerning the construction works at the North Approach Tunnels, the South Approach Tunnels and the Hung Hom Stabling Sidings under the Shatin to Central Link Project, and extended the date of submission of the Commission’s final report to August 30, 2019. The Commission was retitled “Commission of Inquiry into the Construction Works at and near the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link Project” to reflect the expanded mandate.
The Commission submitted its interim report to the Chief Executive on February 25, 2019 on its findings and recommendations on matters covered by the original terms of reference. On March 26, 2019, the Government published the interim report in redacted form.
Subsequently, having regard to the work progress and work plan at the time, the Commission requested an extension of time to submit its final report to the Chief Executive by November 29, 2019, which was approved by the Chief Executive in Council on July 2, 2019.
Since then, there had been developments that had impacted the progress of the inquiry. The "Final Report on Holistic Assessment Strategy for the Hung Hom Station Extension" and the "Final Verification Study Report on As-Constructed Conditions of the North Approach Tunnels, South Approach Tunnels and Hung Hom Stabling Sidings", produced by the MTR Corporation Limited and accepted by the Government, raised new and important issues that had to be addressed. Due also to the availability issues of various parties involved in the inquiry which caused difficulties to the scheduling of further hearings, the Commission requested a further extension of time to submit its final report to the Chief Executive by March 31, 2020, which was approved by the Chief Executive in Council on September 10, 2019.
The Commission further conducted 32 days of substantive hearing between May 27, 2019 and January 23, 2020, and heard evidence from 46 witnesses on matters covered by the expanded terms of reference. In addition, the Commission admitted three witness statements as evidence without the witnesses being called to give evidence at the substantive hearing.
Having concluded the inquiry, the Commission submitted its final report to the Chief Executive today (March 27).
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