MTR Corporation welcomes the authorization of the 17km Shatin to Central Link (SCL) by the Chief Executive-in-Council under the Railways Ordinance.

“The SCL will play a critically vital part in connecting all districts of Hong Kong “It will provide much needed railway service to the East Kowloon District including Ho ManTin, To Kwa Wan, Ma Tau Wai and Kai Tak, and will go a long way to facilitating these areas to rejuvenate and prosper.”

Subject to the funding approval for the project, the construction is expected to start in mid-2012. The section between Tai Wai and Hung Hom is expected to be completed first in 2018. The Hung Hom to Admiralty Section would be completed in 2020 as this section needs to interface with other infrastructure projects, including the Wan Chai Development Phase II and Central-Wan Chai Bypass. It is estimated that the SCL will create 16,000 jobs.