Upgrade work to halt Kwun Tong Line train services at four stations for a day

Wallis Wang

Kwun Tong Line services from Prince Edward to Ho Man Tin will be closed for a day on July 28 to replace large, old cable power hangers on the 45-year-old line, MTR Corp has announced.

The affected stations - Prince Edward, Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei and Ho Man Tin - will remain open and passengers can access them through Tsuen Wan and Tuen Ma lines.

The rail operator will coordinate with Kowloon Motor Bus to provide free bus services connecting Yau Ma Tei to Ho Man Tin and Whampoa.

Similar arrangements may take place at three other areas in the coming three years.

Lee Kim-hung, chief of operations engineering and maintenance, said the work involves the replacement of over 50 large metal hangers near Yau Ma Tei station used for hanging power cables on the tunnel ceiling at a height of about seven meters.

Lee said the hangers have been in use for over 40 years. Although they are still in operation, the replacement work, expected to last 28 consecutive hours, must be carried out as the hangers are about to expire.

"MTR engineers always utilize the two-hour golden window during non-traffic hours for asset renewal, maintenance and new railway projects... But the concerned large-scale renewal works are complicated," he said yesterday.

"The hangers are located at the tunnel ceiling and replacing them requires isolation of all the power systems, relocation and reinstallation of power cables and overhead lines, and a series of tests upon replacement. This takes a longer time and has a higher risk, so it cannot be carried out in stages."

Cheris Lee Yuen-ling, chief of operating and metro segment, said the company chose to conduct the replacement on July 28, a Sunday, during the summer holiday, to minimize the impact on passengers.

The four affected stations will remain open on the day, with Prince Edward, Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei stations on Tsuen Wan Line and Ho Man Tin station on Tuen Ma Line.

"Although we plan to suspend the Kwun Tong Line services at the four stations, our rail network across 98 stations will remain in operation," she said.

Passengers can travel for free for the entire route 8 between Yau Ma Tei and Ho Man Tin, or at designated bus stops for route 30X between Yau Ma Tei and Whampoa.

When taking the two routes, passengers will not need to tap their Octopus cards or pay the fare with any other means, KMB said.

The company will also increase the frequency of the two routes, as well as five other routes passing the affected area, including 1A, 16, 27, 98C and 213D.

Citybus said it expects to see a higher demand for bus services on July 28 and will monitor the situation to adjust its service accordingly.

Lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu, a former MTR engineer, said he agrees the upgrade work is "urgent and necessary" and the temporary suspension of MTR services is inevitable.

"The Kwun Tong Line has been operating for more than 40 years, dating back to the early 1980s, and some infrastructure facilities and equipment are about to expire. We should complete the work as soon as possible instead of leaving it to the next generation," he said. "If we only carry out emergency repairs when the facilities encounter serious failure, the impact may become unmanageable and even lead to serious safety risks."

Some residents said they have to reserve more time to travel on that day, but believe the suspension will not have a huge impact.

A woman who takes the MTR every day and passes the Prince Edward station said: "People will be [inconvenienced but] it's acceptable to me [since facilities] require maintenance."

A man, Chan, urged the MTRC to offer discounts.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com