The government's environmental officials have refused to permit the railway company from building the new line across part of Long Valley, which the company says is the only feasible route.

Preparing for an appeal it lodged against the Environmental Protection Department's decision, the company is seeking advice from various experts, including prominent feng shui practitioner Lam Kwok-hung, according to rail spokesman Raymond Wong.

Feng shui — meaning "wind" and "water" — is the ancient Chinese system of managing luck and good fortune by constructing buildings, tombs, and placing furnishings in homes and offices in alignment with nature.

Hong Kong people typically consult feng shui experts during commercial building projects — such as constructing the headquarters of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. — but some lawmakers criticized the rail company's use of public money in an attempt to overthrow the environmental regulator's decision.

Lam, who has practiced feng shui for over 25 years, said he was paid over 100,000 Hong Kong dollars (US$12,820) a month ago for a one-day visit to Long Valley to assess the impact the planned alignment and two other options would have on the valley's feng shui.

He approved of the planned alignment, saying it is "relatively better than the two alternatives in terms of feng shui."

Wong said the factoring in of feng shui is as crucial as others such as technical viability and safety in deciding the railway alignment, which would run near ancient villages and tombs.

The company spokesman said they employed the expert — for the first time — when they prepared evidence for the appeal.

A government appeal board spokesman, who identified himself only by his surname, Chan, said they haven't set the date for the hearing.

"We welcome the company's move as the indigenous villagers value feng shui seriously," said Hau Kam-lam, 48, a district council member who grew up in a 700-year-old village in Long Valley.

But pro-democracy lawmaker Law Chi-kwong criticized the rail company's decision as "a little bit excessive," saying that the consultation fee the public transportation company has given the expert would be indirectly paid by its users.

The valley entangled in the battle between railway and environmental officials is home to more than 210 species of birds, including four that are globally threatened— the greater spotted eagle, the imperial eagle, the Japanese yellow bunting and Pallas' grasshopper warbler.

Railroad officials say the new line is needed to deal with the double digit annual growth of passenger traffic between Hong Kong and mainland China, which has escalated since the former British colony returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.

Environmentalists and environmental officials — while not disputing the need for a new train line -- say they reject the claim that the planned alignment across Long Valley is the only option.

Long Valley is also the only breeding ground in the territory for the rare painted snipe, a chicken-sized bird with long bill, short legs and colorful facial markings.

Bird-watchers say only about 20 or 30 of them are living in Hong Kong.