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The cost of a bridge network in Kwun Tong went over budget by HK$1 billion as authorities made 141 changes in the design, bringing the total cost to HK$3.5 billion, according to the latest report released by the Audit Commission yesterday.
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The Anderson Road network is made up of four footbridges to connect Sau Mau Ping and Shun On.
The Civil Engineering and Development Department had tendered out the work contract in 2007 even though the design of the new footbridge system had yet to be finalized.
On completion, the department handed over the footbridges to departments such as highways and electrical and mechanical between 2016 and 2018 for maintenance.
In 2008, it awarded a HK$2.063 billion deal to contractor A for formation of about 20 hectares of land platforms and associated geotechnical and slope stabilization works, and the construction of three footbridges.
But after the Housing Department finished a traffic review in March 2009, significant design changes of the footbridge system were proposed, including the addition of a fourth footbridge to enhance connectivity, while the original three needed big changes.
In 2013, CEDD awarded a HK$151.8 million deal to contractor B, mainly to build the fourth bridge. The work was completed in April 2018 and the final contract sum was HK$167.9 million.
The commission said that in work arising from the significant design changes of the footbridge system, a total of 141 variation orders of the terms awarded to contractor A.
Also paid out was HK$70.1 million to accelerate completion of two of the footbridges, but contractor A finished its work in December 2016, over two years later than its original July 2014 target.
The Anderson Road project was substantially completed in December 2016. But as of late October, the government had incurred HK$3.5 billion.
The commission also found that 17 lifts at the four footbridges saw service suspensions 183 times, and the average duration of a suspension lasted 10 hours.
