Bouygues starts work on Hong Kong metro

Bouygues Construction subsidiaries, Dragages Hong Kong and Bouygues Travaux Publics, have been awarded a HK$ 5.2 billion (US$ 670 million) contract from MTR Corporation for the construction of two tunnels for the Hong Kong metro extension.

The contract involves the construction of 2x2 tunnels to form part of a 6 km extension of the Shatin to Central Link, connecting tourist sites to the financial district.

The two eastern tunnels, each approximately 540 m long, will run from the south ventilation building and the new Exhibition station on the Shatin to Central Link. The two western tunnels, each approximately 450 m long, will be bored between the Fenwick Pier emergency egress point and the existing Admiralty station. Bouygues Construction will also construct the ventilation building.

Construction has already started and will take six years to complete. Two different types of tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will be used to cope with the different ground conditions: a slurry TBM and an earth pressure balanced TBM.

Philippe Bonnave, deputy chief executive of Bouygues Construction, said, “Bouygues Travaux Publics has achieved the status of a global reference for underground works, following a series of technically complex projects, adapting to the most diverse geologies. This latest success further demonstrates our ability to meet technical challenges and carry out very large-scale infrastructure projects.”

The 17-km Shatin to Central Link is designed to enhance the entire railway network of Hong Kong by connecting several existing railway lines. When complete, travelling time between the New Territories and the city centre will be reduced by 60%.