Human remains found at light rail site near Central Station

CONSTRUCTION of Sydney’s troubled $2.1 billion light rail project could face further delays after the discovery of human remains near Central Station.

• Sydney’s busiest station has a dark secret

CONSTRUCTION of Sydney’s troubled $2.1 billion light rail project has hit another hurdle after the discovery of human remains near Central Station.

Police were called after workers digging outside the station found bones that may have been there for over 200 years.

Work came to an immediate halt on the Chalmers Street yesterday while archaeologists were contacted.

The large hole at Elizabeth and Chalmers Streets where the bones were found. Picture John Grainger

Light rail workers on site today. Picture: John Grainger

The gruesome find is not believed to be suspicious at this point as the site once belonged to the Devonshire Street Cemetery before it was consecrated in 1820.

Central Station was built on the site in the early 1900s and the remains from the cemetery were moved as bodies were exhumed and labour gangs sifted through every foot of soil six foot down so as not to miss any remains.

Bodies were exhumed during 1903 construction work at Central Railway Station.

Tombstones were collected and stacked in tram sheds, alongside hundreds of coffins, as the 82-year-old cemetery gave up its dead.

It’s not know how long yesterday’s discovery will add to delays for the controversial light rail project which has been plagued by problems since the start of work.

Earlier this month the boss of Spanish subcontractor Acciona Australia revealed its completion — slated for March 2020 — has been delayed again to May 2020.

The controversial light rail project has been plagued by problems.

And Acciona, part of the ALTRAC Consortium charged with building the light rail, is suing the NSW government for $1.1 billion over the contract.

The company has accused the government of misleading it over utility services before it signed up for the project.

A group of 60 business owners have also filed a lawsuit against Transport in the NSW Supreme Court seeking $40 million in total compensation for financial losses they say were caused by the project.

In July this year, a report revealed the “potential flood impact” to 129 properties in George St, near Central Station and at Surry Hills as the result of the light rail’s design.

Also that month, firefighters had to be called to the corner of Park and George streets when hot slag from track welding set plywood alight.