Chief Executive in Council approves financial arrangement for Part 1 of Northern Link Project
The Chief Executive in Council approved today (July 8) the financial arrangement for Part 1 of the Northern Link (NOL) Project. The Transport and Logistics Bureau and the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) have executed the Part 1 Project Agreement (PA) subsequently.
The NOL Project is a key transport infrastructure in support of the future development of Hong Kong. The NOL Main Line would become the public transportation backbone for multiple new development areas in the Northern Metropolis, providing efficient and reliable railway services to meet the transport demand from new population along the railway alignment. The NOL Spur Line, which is being taken forward together with Shenzhen through the Task Force for Hong Kong-Shenzhen Co-operation on Cross-Boundary Railway Infrastructure, would be a cross-boundary bifurcation of the NOL linking the metro networks of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, connecting to the new Huanggang Port through convenient co-location clearance arrangements and facilitating Hong Kong's better integration into the national development.
To expedite the implementation of the NOL Project, the Government already required the MTRCL to reserve relevant budget to undertake the detailed planning and design as well as part of the advance works for the NOL Main Line when executing the PA of the Kwu Tung Station with the MTRCL earlier. The relevant detailed planning and design including statutory procedures have been substantially completed and the advance works have also commenced.
A Government spokesman said, "The NOL Project embodies significant strategic value. With a strong determination to break new ground, the Government has resolutely decided to make three major breakthroughs to enhance the speed and efficiency of the project.
"Firstly, we would take forward the NOL Project through a holistic planning and staged implementation strategy, planning the NOL Spur Line in combination with the NOL Main Line as one project to achieve synergies and realise cost savings. The project would be implemented under a two-part approach to expedite progress. The execution of Part 1 PA at this juncture could propel the project forward immediately, and in parallel carry out the detailed planning and design as well as statutory procedures for the NOL Spur Line.
"Secondly, in the spirit of innovating continuously, we are pursuing various strategies for reducing cost and accelerating project delivery, which would be implemented as soon as ready. Such strategies include leveraging Mainland approaches and capabilities in construction on account of the cross-boundary element of the project, and setting up a dedicated team in the Highways Department to handle building submissions in a manner which streamlines the overall project workflow and expedites procedures. These initiatives will not only improve the construction efficiency of the cross-boundary NOL Spur Line, but may also benefit the NOL Main Line to a certain extent.
"Thirdly, adopting a result-oriented mindset, we would improve the construction efficiency through adopting railway-related Mainland standards, practices and resources, substantially bringing forward the planning of the NOL Spur Line. The target is to commission the NOL Spur Line together with the NOL Main Line by 2034 or earlier, which is about two years earlier than what was originally envisaged."
The Government, supported by an independent checking consultant, has critically examined the financial estimates provided by the MTRCL in relation to Part 1 of the NOL Project, and verified that the capital cost estimate is about $31.4 billion (in July 2025 prices).
The Chief Executive in Council approved the grant of sites at Kam Sheung Road Station Phase 2; Fanling North Area 13 (East) and Area 16; Kwu Tung North Area 22 (East), Area 26 (West), Area 14 and Area 15; as well as San Tin Area 4D, Area 6A and Area 2A to the MTRCL for residential and commercial development under the "Rail-plus-Property" model. A total fixed lump sum of $39.05 billion (in money-of-the-day prices) would be deducted from the full market value land premium of the sites assessed on a "with-railway" basis in the future as funding support to the MTRCL in implementing Part 1 of the NOL Project.
The execution of the Part 1 PA between the Government and the MTRCL today would immediately kick-start works that are more ready and time-critical, including the civil and structural works of two sections of the NOL Main Line from the Kam Sheung Road Station to the intersection with the approach tunnels to Ngau Tam Mei Depot and from the San Tin Station to the Kwu Tung Station. The MTRCL is required to carry out the detailed planning and design of the NOL Spur Line simultaneously, including statutory procedures relating to the environmental impact assessment and railway scheme gazettal, and strive for completion as early as possible. The Part 2 PA would be executed to finalise the arrangements for the remaining works and operation as soon as possible after completion of the relevant statutory procedures.
Chief Executive in Council approves financial arrangement for Part 1 of Northern Link Project Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CFS to follow up certain batches of powdered infant and young children formula with possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 10) said that, it took initiative to meet with Nestlé Hong Kong again today, and confirmed the company's today announcement of an additional batch of powdered infant and young children formula suspected to have possibly used the raw material concerned. Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall. The CFS has collected samples of powdered infant and young children formula from the market for Bacillus cereus testing, the test results so far were satisfactory. The Environmental and Ecology Bureau is also closely monitoring the supply situation of other formula milk powder and maintaining communication with other major suppliers. It is noted that there is sufficient formula milk powder to meet the demand.
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), Photo source: reference image
The spokesman said, the CFS has been actively following up on Nestlé company's voluntary and precautionary recalls of certain batches of its powdered infant and young children formula in certain areas in Europe due to possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus in the individual raw material. According to the latest information from Nestlé Hong Kong today, an additional batch of its powdered infant and young children formula imported into Hong Kong might have used the raw material concerned. The CFS had earlier enhanced surveillance in the market and collected a sample from the above batch for testing of Bacillus cereus. The test result of the sample was satisfactory. Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall.
Product details are as follows:
Product name (Net weight): NAN PRO 1 2 HMO (800g)
Batch number: 51670742F2
Best-before date: June 16, 2027
Place of Origin: Germany
"The CFS met Nestlé Hong Kong again today, urging them to properly handle the product recall issue and respond to public enquiries, in order to safeguard consumers' legitimate rights and interests. In addition, the CFS and Nestlé Hong Kong have jointly followed up, six suspected affected batches of infant and young children formula products that had not entered the market were marked and sealed. An additional 15 batches are currently en route to Hong Kong and will also be marked and sealed upon arrival. The CFS will continue to closely monitor the recall matters and remain fully committed to ensuring food safety, " the spokesman said.
Nestlé Hong Kong has initiated a recall of the affected batches of the products concerned. For enquiries about the recall, members of the public may contact the company through the following channels:
Consumer services hotline: 2599 8874 / 2797 6031/ 2179 8136 (Monday to Sunday, 9am to 9pm)
Email: consumerservices@hk.nestle.com
WhatsApp: 5283 4139 (NESTLÉ® NAN®) / 2599 8871 (Wyeth® Nutrition)
Online form: forms.office.com/e/BhqMhWfsUG?origin=lprLink
Consumers may choose to bring along the products (brand new or opened) for refund at place of purchase, or at exclusive service counters of Nestlé Nutrition Services from January 13 (Tuesday) onwards, to settle the recall and refund of the batches of the products concerned. Details of the exclusive service counters are as follows:
Kowloon Services Counter
Address: G/F, Park Hovan Commercial Building, 18 Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (MTR Jordon Station Exit D)
Contact number: 3996 8196
Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm; Sunday, 1pm to 5.30pm (except public holidays)
Hong Kong Services Counter
Address: 1/F, Ka Nin Wah Commercial Building, 423-425 Hennessy Road, Hong Kong (MTR Causeway Bay Station Exit B)
Contact number: 3996 8197
Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm (except Sundays and public holidays)
The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted earlier that certain batches of Nestlé powdered infant formula were being voluntarily recalled in Europe due to possible contamination with Bacillus cereus. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS has immediately initiated follow up actions, published food incident posts to inform the public and the trade about the issue, and has been actively following up on the incident and enhanced surveillance.
Over the past three days (as of 4pm on January 9), the FEHD received a total of 18 food complaints and enquiries suspected to be related to the infant and young children formula products, including one anonymous complaint without contact information. The CFS and the Environmental Hygiene Branch have promptly followed up on all cases, including contacting the parties concerned to obtain details and collecting samples for testing. In addition, the CFS has referred the cases to the health department for follow-up. At present, no food poisoning cases related to the formula have been recorded.
Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced in food by some strains of Bacillus cereus. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus or its heat-stable toxins may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea.
The spokesman urged members of the public not to let infants and young children consume the affected batches of the products, and to seek medical treatment for infants or young children who felt unwell after taking the products concerned. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batches of the products immediately.
"The CFS continues to closely monitor the developments of the situation, follow up and take appropriate action," the spokesman said.
The infant formula of Nestlé, Photo source: online image
