| Project Description |
The Kowloon Southern Link (KSL) will link the existing East Rail Line's East Tsim Sha Tsui Station with the West Rail Line's Nam Cheong Station, connecting these two lines at the southern end. This new 3.8 km long rail link aims to serve the strategic function of allowing passengers of West Rail Line to have direct access to East Rail and vice versa, and will have one intermediate station – West Kowloon Station. The Government of the Hong Kong SAR gazetted the authorised KSL scheme on 24th June 2005.
The KSL civil construction works are packaged into three major contracts: West Kowloon Station and the railway tunnels from Jordan Road to East Tsim Sha Tsui Station; the railway tunnels from Jordan Road to Yau Ma Tei Ventilation Building; and the railway tunnels from Yau Ma Tei Ventilation Building to Nam Cheong Station.
The railway tunnels running along Canton Road and Salisbury Road between West Kowloon Station and East Tsim Sha Tsui Station will be constructed using a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). The new West Kowloon Station will be located in the West Kowloon Reclamation Area, and will feature an underground concourse and an island platform (a central platform with tracks on either side). The tunnels north of West Kowloon Station from Jordan Road to Nam Cheong Station will be constructed using cut-and-cover methods.
Upon completion, the KSL will help provide a direct link between the Northwest New Territories and Tsim Sha Tsui. It will take only 30 minutes to travel from Tin Shui Wai to East Tsim Sha Tsui.
The railway will be constructed in a highly developed urban area of great significance in both commerce and tourism. The tunnel works for the southern section will be constructed adjacent to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Space Museum and a number of prestigious hotels and other buildings, all of which are highly susceptible to noise and vibration. Therefore, construction techniques which minimise the transmission of noise and vibration will be used.
In addition to the KSL railway works, the existing pedestrian subway along Middle Road in Tsim Sha Tsui will be extended westward to Kowloon Park Drive where it will connect to two existing Government subways. The extended subway will significantly enhance the connectivity between the East Tsim Sha Tsui Station and the Canton Road area.
| Programme |
Civil construction of the KSL commenced in the fourth quarter of 2005. Access to project contractors for trackwork and railway systems installation will be provided from the latter half of 2007. Completion of the KSL project with West Kowloon Station open for public use is scheduled for 2009.
| Progress Update – December 2007 |
The West Kowloon Station structure has been constructed to the roof level. Building services and architectural work are in progress at both platform and ground floor levels. The tunnel boring machine has completed 53% of the final tunnel drive between the West Kowloon Station and the existing East Tsim Sha Tsui Station. The cut-and-cover tunnels in the north of the West Kowloon Station are 52% complete. Overall completion of all tunnel structure is expected in the second quarter of 2008. Trackwork laying has commenced at station platform and the cut-and-cover tunnels.
All new 7-car trains have delivered to Hong Kong and the train testing is underway. Manufacture of electrical and mechanical equipment is in good progress. Some of the escalators for the West Kowloon Station as well as switchgears for the traction power supply system have also arrived in Hong Kong. Installation of tunnel ventilation system has commenced on site.