Thirty concrete pillars at the MTR Tung Chung West station platform level have been found defective, with the Highways Department demanding a detailed investigation report from MTR Corporation within two weeks and saying the 2029 opening target remains unchanged.
The Highways Department said it received a report from MTR on November 2 that construction quality problems were found in some concrete pillars at the platform level and that the contractor had attempted repairs using an unapproved method. MTR immediately stopped the works.
The department said it sent officers to inspect the site on November 3 and 4 and met MTR on Friday to follow up. It has required MTR to submit a detailed report within two weeks, urge the contractor to draw up a remediation plan and carry out repairs at its own cost, and take measures to ensure the incident does not affect the overall schedule.
The department said its last inspection in October covered the concourse level and mainly pillars that had not yet been poured. It stressed the Tung Chung Line extension is being taken forward by MTR under the ownership approach, with MTR responsible for design, construction, operation and maintenance, while the department monitors progress, safety and quality through risk-based inspections.
The Buildings Department said the project's registered structural engineer found a defective pillar in early October and required the contractor to rectify it. As it did not pose an immediate danger, the engineer was not required to report it immediately.
During a routine inspection on October 27, Buildings Department officers confirmed two defective pillars and required a full investigation and rectification. More pillars with similar defects were found as formwork was removed, and the engineer reported to the Buildings Department on November 3. As of November 6, about 30 pillars had been found defective.
The department said the station is built using the top-down method, with temporary supports for the slabs not yet removed, so the defects do not endanger the structure. It found no evidence of deliberate deviation from approved plans and said the engineer followed procedures in following up on the defects.
The Buildings Department has required the engineer to submit an investigation report and proposed remedial measures by mid-November and will continue to follow up on the rectification works.
