Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is expected to announce the construction of a rail link connecting the northern New Territories and Shenzhen’s burgeoning Qianhai economic zone in her policy address next month, the Post has learned.

The rail project, estimated to cost billions of dollars, will serve as an extension of a planned HK$62 billion (US$8 billion) Northern Link to cater for the newly announced eightfold expansion of Qianhai.

Sources on Thursday said Beijing had planned the construction of a rail link connecting Hung Shui Kiu, a proposed new town in the western part of the New Territories, to Qianhai in a bid to facilitate its ambitious expansion blueprint and the integration of both places.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

The initiative, approved by the State Council last week, envisions the creation of a “world-class” Qianhai business environment by 2035. The economic zone – to be expanded from 14.9 sq km (3,706 acres) to 120.6 sq km – would offer a “wider stage” for Hong Kong to grow its economy and create opportunities for young people, mainland Chinese officials said.

A source familiar with the proposed rail extension said four stations were being planned but the exact alignment had not been finalised.

The source said Hung Shui Kiu station would serve as an interchange on the rail link.

“This will be part of the policy address,” the source said. “There was a meeting held in Hong Kong with Shenzhen authorities recently about this matter.”

Lam said in July she would deliver a “visionary” policy address on October 6.

Another source said the order for a new rail link came from Beijing and the chief executive was expected to roll out a study on it as soon as possible.

“Carrie Lam is expected to at least kick-start the project’s feasibility study in her policy address,” the source said, adding that details such as whether a joint checkpoint would be adopted and the construction model had yet to be confirmed.

Existing transport links with Qianhai are relatively weaker than those between Hong Kong and Hengqin, which will form a new cooperation zone with neighbouring Macau.

Hengqin is also linked with Hong Kong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.

Under President Xi Jinping’s Greater Bay Area scheme, Beijing is hoping to supercharge growth and innovation across a unified urban area encompassing Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and eight other Guangdong cities.

Lam earlier pledged that Hong Kong would play a “proactive and active” role in the Qianhai expansion, saying it would provide a greater hinterland for the city.

Henry Cheung Nin-sang, chairman of the Association of Hong Kong Railway Transport Professionals, said the distance between Hung Shui Kiu and Qianhai was about 16km with an estimated travel time of 30 minutes.

“Building a new rail link connecting the city to Qianhai is a logical and inevitable thing to do if Hong Kong wants to facilitate the zone’s expansion and the development of both sides,” he said. “The rail link will greatly boost the economic exchanges between both sides.”

Beijing has an ambitious plan to expand Qianhai.

If the project went ahead, he said, the government could adopt light rail rather than heavy rail to avoid excavation works and causing serious pollution.

“The government could build about three stations on the Hong Kong side with one at Shenzhen Bay Port to facilitate cross-border travel,” he said.

The Northern Link, still under planning by the MTR Corporation, is a 10.7km railway line connecting Kam Sheung Road station on the Tuen Ma line with a new Kwu Tung station, via three proposed intermediate stations in San Tin, Ngau Tam Mei and Au Tau.

The link would also serve as a connection to the Lok Ma Chau border checkpoint for passengers to and from the western New Territories. The rail project is expected to start in 2025 for completion in 2034 at an estimated cost of HK$62 billion.

Work on the new Hung Shui Kiu station, located between Tin Shui Wai and Siu Hong stations on the Tuen Ma line, is expected to start in 2024 for completion in 2030 at an estimated cost of about HK$4.1 billion.