The WIL is an underground railway. The construction works mainly comprise the excavation for the railway tunnels, stations and pedestrian entrances. As most of the line is in rock, excavation is mainly done by the drill and blast method. The tunnel between Sheung Wan to Sai Ying Pun is planned to be excavated by tunnel boring machines and the Kennedy Town Station by open cut method.

Cut and Cover

Kennedy Town Station will be constructed by cut and cover method.

Drill & Blast

Drill and blast is adopted for the tunnel construction between Sai Ying Pun and Kennedy Town, the overrun tunnel beyond Kennedy Town Station, some advance construction shafts as well as the station boxes of Sai Ying Pun and Hong Kong University. In this connection, Blasting Assessment Reports (BARs) have been prepared to cover all the issues in relation to the blasting works. They have been agreed by the relevant government departments.



The use of explosives is governed by the Dangerous Goods Ordinance and subject to the stringent control by the Mines Division of Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), the Fire Services Department and the Hong Kong Police Force. Suitably qualified professionals will be employed for the blasting operations and a set of stringent control measures in accordance with the Buildings Ordinance and relevant statutory requirements will be implemented.

  1. Drill and Blast Construction Method
    (Chinese version with English subtitle)
    March 2010
    Format: flv, File size: 11MB

Tunnel Boring

The tunnel between Sheung Wan to Sai Ying Pun will be excavated by tunnel boring machines.