The railway scheme for the South Island Line (East) was gazetted today, the Transport & Housing Bureau says.

The proposed line will be a 7km-long medium-capacity railway, providing passenger service between Admiralty and South Horizons with three intermediate stations - near Ocean Park, at Wong Chuk Hang and Lei Tung Estate. The railway will run in tunnels and viaducts according to topography.

When complete, it will take about nine minutes to travel from South Horizons to Admiralty, as compared with 25 to 45 minutes by using road-based transport during rush hour.

Subject to the Chief Executive in Council's authorisation, the construction works are expected to begin in 2011 and be completed by 2015.

Under the Railways Ordinance, members of the public have the right to lodge objections to the railway scheme from now until September 22, and they can claim compensation under the provisions of the Ordinance.