MTR Corp to deploy a world-first use of skidding method for Hung Shui Kiu station

MTR Corp, the operator of Hong Kong's rail system, has announced plans to employ a groundbreaking skidding technique for the construction of Hung Shui Kiu station. This will be the first time this method is used in a heavy-rail project worldwide. The primary aim is to overcome time constraints and ensure the station's completion by 2030.

Each of the station's structures, weighing approximately 10,000 tonnes, will be prefabricated and assembled at worksites situated on either side of the operational viaduct. These components will then be moved into their designated positions alongside the active Tuen Ma line using the skidding method.

Hung Shui Kiu station, set to serve the future Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area, will be the first station built on an operational railway viaduct in Hong Kong. It will be located between Tin Shui Wai and Siu Hong stations on the Tuen Ma line. Carl Devlin, the corporation's capital works director, highlighted the advantages of this innovative construction method.

It significantly reduces the need for work during non-traffic hours, thereby minimizing construction risks and ensuring project progress. However, this method requires some adjustments in service, particularly during what are known as the "golden two hours" when the rail line is available for repairs and maintenance.

The corporation anticipates that services at Tuen Mun, Siu Hong, and Tin Shui Wai stations will be impacted by the skidding procedures carried out on both sides of the viaduct in the latter part of the first and third quarters of next year. MTR Corp plans to announce detailed arrangements following its assessment of the potential impact on services.

The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong has urged the corporation to handle the disruption with care, calling for transparency in service suspension details one month in advance and sufficient feeder buses and staff to assist commuters.