Development Secretary Bernadette Linn said on Saturday (July 11) that public funds would not be needed to cover any funding gap if the Pak Shek Kok MTR station project runs over budget.
Speaking on an RTHK programme after authorities released a revised development plan this week, Linn said the station's commissioning is now projected for 2033.
She noted that the two-storey station will be moved closer to the Science Park and Chinese University, instead of the originally planned site near the Education University's Sports Centre.
Linn also argued that under the rail-and-property development model, the government conducts assessments and secures sufficient land before construction begins, with basic land pricing agreed upon by the time the project agreement is signed. She said financing discussions are then concluded, meaning government support would no longer be required even if changes occur later.
Asked about whether her bureau has estimated a total cost for the project, Linn said such figures must wait until the MTR submits a comprehensive construction plan, adding that cost estimates at this stage would not help further talks with the corporation.
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