Lawmakers earlier raised concerns over the significant rise in construction costs and the lack of a concrete timetable for the project, with authorities reportedly expecting more votes against the proposal or abstentions than ones in favour at the finance committee meeting.
“The Transport and Logistics Bureau will further enrich the discussion documents by varying the proposal discussion, in addition to the information we have provided earlier upon the request of the public works subcommittee, to facilitate the finance committee’s deliberation on the relevant project,” a bureau spokesman said.
The bureau had sought funding to build Trunk Road T4, which will directly connect Sha Tin with Ma On Shan, Tsuen Wan and Kowloon East to relieve road traffic inside the Sha Tin district. The latest cost estimate was more than six times the original one of HK$1.1 billion back in 2006.
The performance of legislators also came under the spotlight last year after a report found at least two-thirds of bills were passed in the previous year with under half of all lawmakers present, falling short of the 45-member quorum requirement.
The project involves the construction of two 2.3-kilometre (1.4-mile) dual-line trunk roads, widening existing roads and building elevated foot and cycling paths.
In a letter sent to its chairman on Thursday, the government said it would defer the proposal for later discussion as it needed to further “enrich” the documents used for lawmakers’ deliberations.
Agency lures 2 new infrastructure firms to Hong Kong, 6 others expand presence
Agency lures 2 new infrastructure firms to Hong Kong, 6 others expand presence
The government also withdrew a funding application in May 2021, involving the redevelopment of Wa Ying College in Ho Man Tin expected to cost HK$470 million. But the withdrawal was made at the public works subcommittee after failing to get enough support from lawmakers, before reaching the finance committee.
At the time, some lawmakers expressed concerns about the political stance of the school’s management, with others noting they had questions over the project’s hefty price tag.
