Leighton Asia milestone on water transfer project

The 2.35km Lai Chi Kok branch tunnel, part of the Lai Chi Kok Transfer Scheme in Hong Kong has been completed after 11 months of construction.

Excavation of the main tunnel by Leighton Asia, a subsidiary of Leighton Holdings, will commence at the end of April, with possible delays until the start of May. As T&TI went to press, the project was awaiting a VMT navigation system for hard rock machines to arrive at the end of the branch tunnel to guide the TBM through the main tunnel.

The main tunnel will run for 1.14km and will have an internal diameter of 4.9m.

The tunnel was designed to negate flooding in Lai Chi Kok city, Hong Kong. Rainwater from the west Kowlook hillside would be absorbed by intakes to the branch tunnel, which would then feed the main tunnel to transport the water to Victoria Harbour.

The contract also required six intake shafts, a stilling basin, an outfall structure, around 270 metres of 3m id connection adits and surface connecting drainage pipelines to be installed by pipe jacking.

“The project is located in an urban area and therefore possible impacts on the public during construction is an issue that the joint venture has paid considerable attention to during the planning and development of the proposed construction methods,” said Leighton Asia.