System. This organization included representatives from Highways Office, Buildings Ordinance Office and the "Land" and "Engineering" staff of Mass Transit Studies Office. The organisation was responsible for examining the implications of the tenderers' proposals insofar as they might affect the responsibilities and interests of Government. Discussions were held with the staff of the Mass Transit Railway Corporation, its consultants and the tenderers. Altogether more than 200 meetings, concerning 20 contracts, were held over a period of 10 months to enable full recommendations regarding the successful tenderers to be made to the Board of the Mass Transit Railway Corporation.
12.07 The Traffic Management Group continued to hold regular meetings, special attention being focussed on the central area of Hong Kong and the complex problems of maintaining pedestrian movements and public transport during the construction of the railway. Liaison was maintained with the Traffic Management Group in finalizing the details of the strategic traffic plan for Kowloon and its implementation.
13.08
In order to co-ordinate the extensive publicity coverage and public relations exercise in respect of the traffic diversions in Hong Kong and Kowloon required to facilitate the construction of the railway, a Publicity Co-ordinating Committee was established in August 1975, chaired by the Director of Mass Transit Studies. Towards the end of the year, this committee was replaced by three separate organisations, the M.T.R. Public Relations Policy Group, the M.T.R. Community Liaison Committee and the M.T.R. Publicity Committee.
13.09
Prior to the award of the contracts by the M.T.R. Corporation, it was necessary to re-appraise the land requirements for the Modified Initial System. This work was completed and the "Railway Area Plan" was gazetted and distributed to Government Departments concerned. Works which affected roads were gazetted under the Mass Transit Railway (Land Resumption and Related Provisions) Ordinance. The Land Grants Committee, headed by the Director of Mass Transit Studies, was established to determine the methods by which land would be granted to the Mass Transit Railway Corporation.
13.10 With the assistance of the M.T.R. Land Acquisition Co-ordinating Committee, which met monthly, the acquisition and clearance of land required for the construction of the railway continued in accordance with the agreed timetable. Resumption proceedings were instituted for the acquisition of survey district lots in Ngau Chi Wan Village and a number of post-war buildings in Kowloon, including two multi-storey buildings at Boundary Street and Sai Yeung Choi Street in which approximately 100 domestic and non-domestic units were affected.
13.11
Possession of various sites required for the construction of the Mass Transit Railway was given to the Corporation in accordance with the programme for multi-contract tendering. Letters of authorisation were given to facilitate possession in the first instance as it was not possible to issue short term tenancies within the time available and also because certain aspects of the policy regarding the grant of land to the Corporation have yet to be finalized. However, a programme for the production of short term tenancies was determined and much of the necessary documentation to facilitate the granting of land to the Corporation was completed.