The Shenzhen River Regulation Project has been completed. It will smooth the traffic flow between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, enable infrastructure projects to proceed steadily, and create favourable conditions for economic development.

Secretary for the Environment, Transport & Works Dr Sarah Liao officiated at the completion ceremony today for the project's third stage. She said the stage was the most technically difficult, affecting several cross-boundary facilities.

River works: The Shenzhen River Regulation Project's third-stage works include improvements to the river channel, and the reconstruction of Lo Wu Railway Bridge and the Man Kam To vehicular bridges.

Cleaned up

Besides the improvement of 4km of river channel, the works involved the reconstruction of Lo Wu Railway Bridge, Lo Wu's old pedestrian bridge, the Man Kam To vehicular bridges and two Dongjiang water mains.

"The river banks are now tidier and the channel is deeper. The ecology and environment have also been improved when compared with the messy river course before," Ms Liao said.

Director of Drainage Services Wong Chee-keung said the project mainly involved straightening, widening and deepening the 18-km river channel. After completion, the flood-protection standard will be raised to a one-in-50-years-return period.

Leaks plugged

With the completion of the first two stages in 2000, the improved river channel prevented serious flooding in the vicinity and improved the livelihood of residents on both sides. Coupled with the regulation of the Ping Yuen River on Hong Kong's side, the completion of the third-stage works has resolved flooding problems in Ta Kwu Ling. Discharge from Shenzhen Reservoir will no longer lead to flooding.

A joint working group for the project was formed in 1992. The first stage of works was to straighten the Lok Ma Chau bend and the Liu Pok bend, while the second stage widened and deepened the remaining sections from the Liu Pok bend to the estuary. Costing $1.1 billion, the two stages were completed in April 1997 and June 2000.

The third stage started in December 2001 to widen and deepen the section upstream of the Liu Pok bend to the confluence with Ping Yuen River. The two governments shared the $560 million construction costs.