The Government will not give the go-ahead to commission the Shatin to Central Link unless it is assured of the safety of its construction, Secretary for Transport & Housing Frank Chan said today.

Mr Chan made the statement after attending a Legislative Council subcommittee meeting on the rail link’s progress update.

The Mass Transit Railway Corporation had earlier informed the Government that records had gone missing for the north and south approach tunnels, and the Hung Hom Stabling Siding of the link’s Hung Hom Station.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Chan said the rest of the link’s stations will also be inspected, after the MTRC identified more issues at the Hung Hom Station.

The rail firm has been asked to conduct an internal audit of all the stations along the link to ensure they are structurally safe, and to submit a report afterwards.

Mr Chan said the Highways Department will also carry out a separate inspection of the stations, starting with the To Kwa Wan and Diamond Hill stations, to ensure the project’s overall safety.

The department’s review will be conducted under the supervision of a team of expert consultants, he added.

Mr Chan noted that once the separate inspections by the MTRC and the Government are completed and the findings comply with safety requirements, the rail corporation would still need to submit the necessary documents to the Buildings Department.

The department will then process these building plans, designs and records to determine whether a completion certificate should be issued for the Shatin to Central Link.

The transport chief also said at the LegCo subcommittee meeting that the Government’s decision to inspect the link’s stations was made out of safety considerations, adding that the review would start soon.

He made it clear that the MTRC, as the project manager, is responsible for ensuring the quality of the link’s construction.