Half of Tung Chung West Station Pillars Found with Incomplete Concrete Pour; MTR Halts Work
HK01 · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago6 MIN
Summary
MTR Corporation has confirmed discovering construction irregularities at the Tung Chung West Station site, where approximately half of the concrete pillars in the concourse level were found with incomplete concrete pours that failed to reach the ceiling . The gaps, measuring 20 to 30 centimetres, exposed structural rebar and raised concerns about load-bearing capacity . MTR has ordered the main contractor, Bouygues-Spilhaus Joint Venture, to immediately halt the suspect work and submit a comprehensive report with a rectification plan for approval before operations can resume . The irregularities were identified during an October inspection of the platform level, when inspectors noted unauthorized repair work on pillar tops . MTR has notified relevant government departments and stated the contractor must bear all related costs .
Key Points
- The concourse level contains 60 concrete pillars, each approximately 0.5 metres by 0.5 metres and 8 to 9 metres tall, with roughly 30 pillars—half the total—showing concrete gaps
- MTR states the October discovery involved unauthorized patching work on pillar tops that was not pre-approved, though the company did not confirm whether half the pillars had incomplete pours
- Senior engineer Ho Wing-yip (何永業) warned that without concrete contacting the ceiling slab, bearing capacity drops to under 10 percent; if rebar also fails to connect, capacity becomes effectively zero
- The project budget totals HK$19.5 billion; construction began in 2023 using a top-down method, with main structural completion targeted for the first half of 2027 and passenger service by 2029
- During a media tour in May, many pillars were hidden under yellow cloth, suggesting concrete pouring had not yet been completed at that time
Why It Matters
Tung Chung West Station is a critical component of the HK$19.5 billion Tung Chung Extension project, which is expected to serve tens of thousands of daily commuters once operational in 2029 . While MTR maintains the issue does not involve structural safety, the discovery of widespread construction defects—and the contractor's apparent failure to self-report—raises questions about quality control oversight on one of Hong Kong's most significant infrastructure projects . The incident also underscores the importance of independent monitoring as the station construction enters its final phases toward the 2029 opening target .
Tung Chung West Station is a critical component of the HK$19.5 billion Tung Chung Extension project, which is expected to serve tens of thousands of daily commuters once operational in 2029 . While MTR maintains the issue does not involve structural safety, the discovery of widespread construction defects—and the contractor's apparent failure to self-report—raises questions about quality control oversight on one of Hong Kong's most significant infrastructure projects . The incident also underscores the importance of independent monitoring as the station construction enters its final phases toward the 2029 opening target .