The Development Bureau of Hong Kong has identified deficiencies and shortcomings by the contractor, professionals, and government departments concerning the faulty lifts installed in Queen Mary Hospital's new clinical block. As many of the 34-storey tower's lifts were sealed off in September after the Chief Executive, John Lee, ordered an investigation, the report submitted to the Legislative Council detailed that all 28 lifts in the building had encountered problems, with issues of "verticality deviations," imbalanced lift cars, and poor workmanship. The bureau's findings also pointed out that ATAL Engineering Group, as the primary contractor, must take overall responsibility for the project's completion in accordance with requirements. As per the report, the contractor was aware of dimension and verticality problems in the shaft but failed to address them promptly, indicating poor follow-up. Consequently, the bureau will take disciplinary action against the contractor, subcontractors, and consultancy firms, which may include suspending their tendering rights, downgrading, or even delisting them. Moreover, the report highlighted the Architectural Services Department's failure to strictly adhere to internal guidelines when issuing a completion certificate in 2025, leading to the referral of the matter to the relevant law enforcement authorities for further investigation. The department promised to address the involved personnel appropriately.
EMSD was found to have complied with procedures in processing the lifts' operation permits, yet "some personnel" did not conduct thorough investigations. As a result, the department was urged to issue advisory letters and pinpoint areas for improvement. Lawmakers will receive an update on these issues during a Legco development panel meeting on Friday.