Transport officials say they hope to kick-start construction projects for a transit line linking HKU and Wong Chuk Hang MTR stations in 2027.
In a paper submitted to Legco, the Transport and Logistics Bureau said rather than the heavy rail originally proposed, the new plan for the South Island Line (West) is to build a "smart and green mass transit system" using viaducts, along with a tunnel through the hilly terrain between Queen Mary Hospital and HKU.
The 7.5-kilometre line will also pass through Aberdeen, Tin Wan, Wah Fu and Cyberport and will serve 130,000 residents and 50,000 people working in the areas, officials said.
No expected completion date was given.
The bureau said it hopes to begin detailed planning and design for the project next year.
Lawmaker Gary Zhang, who's a former railway engineer, said he expects construction work to be completed within five to six years' time.
He pointed out that the capacity of the mass transit system is much lower than the original.
"The new smart [and] green system - capacity could reach around 8,000. But normally the optimal capacity could be something around 5,000," he told RTHK.
"So the capacity, yes, would be a disadvantage. But construction costs would be much much lower."
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Last updated: 2024-12-02 HKT 19:27