MTR pledges no compromise on Northern Link safety

MTR Corporation chief executive Jeny Yeung said the quality and safety standards of the Northern Link line that it is building will not be compromised despite a significantly reduced cost forecast. Her remarks came after the government gave the green light to the second phase of the project this week, revealing that the entire railway link is expected to cost about HK$86.2 billion - around 28 percent lower than initial estimates as a result of a shortened construction period and cost-saving measures. Speaking on a television programme aired on Saturday, Yeung also said the rail operator was not concerned about the project going over budget. "We shall work very hard to control costs when working on the project," she said. "In addition, we will also utilise more technology and, in the process, use as much innovative thinking as possible. "Like I just said, we shall jointly build part one and part two of the railway link, and the approach will also benefit from innovative thinking." Yeung added that the Northern Link would likely adopt equipment aligned with mainland railway standards to enable greater procurement flexibility, following the promulgation of the Hong Kong Railway Standards in February, which for the first time systematically...