Resumption of foundation works of Revitalisation of Tsui Ping River

     The Drainage Services Department (DSD) announced today (March 31) that consent has been given to resume the foundation works in the vicinity of Wai Fat Road near Wai Yip Street in Kwun Tong under the Revitalisation of Tsui Ping River project. 
 
     During the foundation works in the vicinity of Wai Fat Road near Wai Yip Street in Kwun Tong under the Revitalisation of Tsui Ping River project, the reading recorded on January 12, 2022, in a settlement monitoring checkpoint installed on a parapet wall of the highway structure near Wai Fat Road had reached 28 millimetres, exceeding the pre-set trigger level for works suspension (25mm). The contractor suspended the above-mentioned works on the same day. The DSD and relevant departments arranged an inspection of the highway structure and facilities in the vicinity and confirmed that they are structurally safe, and issued an announcement on the situation on January 19.

     The contractor responsible for the said construction works submitted to the DSD an investigation report after the incident, and proposed implementing appropriate mitigation measures, including additional monitoring checkpoints and increased monitoring frequency, and grouting works to stabilise the ground in order to minimise the impact on the highway structure and facilities in the vicinity upon resumption of works. The DSD has consulted relevant government departments including the Geotechnical Engineering Office of the Civil Engineering and Development Department on the proposed mitigation measures. The contractor has installed additional monitoring checkpoints and is gradually completing the ground improvement works. Therefore, the contractor requested to the DSD for resumption of suspended works.
 
     The DSD and its engineering consultant have inspected the adjacent highway structure and facilities again and confirmed that they are structurally safe. After considering the views from relevant departments, the DSD confirmed that the resumption of works will not affect public safety, and verified that the contractor has stringent monitoring measures to ensure that the adjacent highway structure and facilities are structurally safe and in normal operation. 

     Having considered the above advice, the request for resumption of works was accepted by the DSD yesterday (March 30), and the relevant foundation works resume today. When giving consent to the works resumption, the DSD has requested the contractor to implement a series of measures when carrying out the remaining construction works, including strict adherence to the enhanced construction sequences for the ground improvement and foundation works, in order to strengthen the site supervision and safety. The DSD has consulted relevant government departments on these measures. The detailed engineering assessment submitted by the contractor estimated that, based on the actual site condition and relevant data, when the accumulated settlement of the adjacent highway structure reaches 60mm, the structural safety of the highway structure will not be affected. The DSD has therefore accepted that the pre-set trigger monitoring level for works suspension be adjusted to 60mm.
 
     The DSD will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure the structural safety and normal operation of the highway structure and facilities in the vicinity. The target of completing the project in 2024 remains unchanged.