Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation will begin operating its long-awaited new signalling system on the Tsuen Wan line on March 15, marking a critical milestone in a major infrastructure overhaul designed to enhance the reliability of the city’s ageing rail network.
The rail giant said on Tuesday that the new system had passed rigorous safety tests and received approval from the relevant government departments.
“This marks a very important milestone in the upgrade of our urban lines’ signalling systems. Our team is also proceeding with the engineering works for the other three lines in an orderly manner according to plan,” Cheris Lee Yuen-ling, deputy director of the operating and metro segment at the MTR Corp, said.
Following the roll-out on the Tsuen Wan line, the rail operator expects to upgrade the remaining three urban lines – Island, Kwun Tong and Tseung Kwan O lines – at a rate of one per year, with the entire project scheduled for completion in 2029.
Lee said the MTR Corp needed to conduct tests on the new signalling system during the “golden two hours” at night, while also carrying out daily maintenance and ensuring regular train services remained normal during the day, which was “not easy”.
The signalling system upgrade is part of the corporation’s HK$65 billion (US$8.3 billion), five-year programme to repair and maintain its railway assets through 2027.
More to follow…
