Hong Kong will see the completion of one new railway line each year in the next few years, Hong Kong's Secretary for Transport Nicholas Ng said Tuesday.

"The Tseung Kwan O line will commence operation in 2002, to be followed by West Rail in 2003. In 2004, the Ma On Shan to Tai Wai Rail Link and the KCR extension to Tsim Sha Tsui will further enhance the rail services provided by KCR," Ng said at the Opening Ceremony of the Roving Exhibitions "Railway Development: The Next 20 Years."

"In 2005, local and overseas visitors can take the MTR Penny's Bay Rail Link to the Hong Kong Disneyland. The completion of the Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur Line by 2007 will add a new rail passenger boundary crossing which provides relief to the congestion at Lo Wu," he said.

Back in 1994, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government published its first comprehensive Railway Development Strategy and promised to invest 100 billion HK dollars (US$ 12.8 billion) on six new railway lines.

In the next five years, 57 billion HK dollars (us$ 7.3 billion) will be spent on these six projects, creating 7,000 job opportunities, according to Ng.

Upon completion of the six railways, the existing railway network will expand by 40 percent to over 200 kilometers. The population within the rail catchment will be increased from about 50 percent to 65 percent, while employment falling within the catchment will increase from 65 percent to 70 percent.

( People's Daily 10/23/2001)