East Kowloon line (1970 scheme)
In September 1967 the Freeman, Fox, Wilbur Smith & Associates of Britain published a proposal to construct a mass transit system in Hong Kong, in which East Kowloon line was called Sha Tin line, connecting Wo Liu Hang in Fo Tan and Tsim Sha Tsui.
However, the report pointed out that the cross-harbour traffic demand for the East Kowloon area would be heavy, necessitating an extension to Rumsey.
In order to prevent EKL trains from interfering with Kwun Tong line operation when accessing the depot, a direct track was built for the required connection, which passes through Choi Hung station.
In 1984 the Government decided to construct Eastern Harbour Crossing, carrying both road and rail, to alleviate congestion at Cross-Harbour Tunnel.
In 1989 the Government issued the Airport Core Programme plan, and further postponed the construction of the East Kowloon line for the reason of "insufficient distribution of resources".
The Central and Wan Chai Reclamation plan was rearranged to facilitate construction of a fourth cross-harbour railway.
The reconsidered fourth harbour rail crossing started from Hung Hom to Central via the reclamation area, similar to the 1989 proposal by KCRC.
In the new railway development study in 1993, East Kowloon line was modified to become a medium capacity system, and the alignment was cut back to Kowloon station on the Lantau Airport Railway, forming an Eastern Corridor together with Tsim Sha Tsui Extension and Ma On Shan Rail.
In 1998, the Government published the third Integrated Transport Study and the second Railway Development Study, breaking the Eastern Corridor into sections and proposing numerous plans to link them up, forming today's West Rail line, Kowloon Southern Link, Tsim Sha Tsui Extension, Sha Tin to Central Link (including the fourth harbour rail crossing, East Kowloon line, and the railway from Tai Wai to Diamond Hill) and Ma On Shan line.
It comprises a new line serving the mid-levels of Kwun Tong District, originating around Diamond Hill station and stretching to Po Lam station, with proposed intermediate stops at Choi Wan, Shun Tin, Sau Mau Ping, and Po Tat.
