New study identifies six new corridors for development by 2016: the West Rail Phase III link from Yuen Long to Lok Chau; the long-planned KCR branch from Tai Wai to the Kwai Chung container terminal; the link with Ma On Shan line to Kowloon via Choi Hung and the former airport at Kai Tak which may feed into a fourth cross-harbour rail tunnel; the Green Island extension of the MTR Island line to Tuen Mun; a duplicate East Rail corridor between Kowloon, Tai Wai and Shenzhen; and a route around Victoria Peak to the southern part of Hong Kong Island. December 1999.   Proposed 4.3 km tunnel option approved by KCRC to limit damage to wildlife in the Long Valley wetland to be crossed by second trans-border railway line between Sheung Shui and Lok Ma Chau, near Shenzhen, using EPB with precast concrete segmental lining, with station box at Kwu Tung. Project cost to rise by HK$2 billion to HK$10 billion and opening delayed by two years until about 2007. Visit http://www.kcrc.com.hk/eng/service/index.html 41/01.   Feasibility study contract awarded to Maunsell Consultants Asia for a rail tunnel on the proposed port rail line from Hong Kong's Kwai Chung container port to Tai Wai, where it will connect with China's rail network. The planned new harbour line would terminate close to Container Terminal 8 (CT8) in Hong Kong. This would be the first direct rail link between Kwai Chung and China. Visit www.maunsell.com.hk 46/01.   The environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) Lok Ma Chau spur line has been approved by the government. The proposal comprises a 7.3 km combined tunnel and viaduct scheme designed to minimise disruption to wetlands in Long Valley. The new plans for the project are expected to be presented to the Executive Council for approval in June. Visit www.kcrc.com.hk/eng/service/index.html 12/02.   The 7.4 km Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau spur line project has been authorised. A 4.3 km tunnel will be built between Sheung Shui and Chau Tau. On completion, the line will provide a rail link branching off from East Rail to a new rail boundary terminal at Lok Ma Chau where direct transfer to the Shenzhen metro will be provided. Construction is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2002 for completion by mid-2007. The project will be funded by the KCRC at a cost of about HK$10 billion. Visit www.kcrc.com 25/02.  The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) awarded a HK$2.8 billion tunnelling contract to Dragages et Travaux Publics and Bouygues, for the East Rail Lok Ma Chau spur line extension. The contract involves the construction of two parallel tunnels, each of about 5.2 km, from Sheung Shui north under Long Valley to Chau Tau. A 8.75 m-diameter EPB TBM will be used for excavation of 3.5 km of tunnels under Long Valley, while cut-and-cover method will be used for the remaining 1.7 km western and eastern approaches. Detailed design as well as preliminary works on the eastern approach will start this month. TBM excavation to start by the last quarter of 2003.The joint venture's bid was the highest but included a proposal to advance the completion date for full two-tunnel operations by five months to 30th October, 2006. The 7.3 km Lok Ma Chau-Sheung Shui line will open to passenger trains by end March 2007. Read E-News Weekly # 43. Visit www.kcrc.com/eng/index.html 45/02.