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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1976
SIGNBOARDS TO BE REMOVED FOR MTR CONSTRUCTION
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A NUMBER OF LARGE SIGNBOARDS WHICH PROJECT OVER THE STREET FROM BUILDINGS ALONG THE ROUTE OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN DOWN TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION WORK TO BE CARRIED OUT.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE SIGNBOARDS REQUIRED TO BE REMOVED ARE MAINLY LOCATED NEAR THE STATION SITES FOR THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN NATHAN ROAD.
HE EXPLAINED THAT LARGE MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT INCLUDING TALL CRANES AND RIGS MUST BE USED AT THE STATION SITES WHERE THE +CUT AND COVER+ METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION HAS TO BE CARRIED OUT. THE SIGNBOARDS, SOME OF THEM EXTENDING AS MUCH AS HALF WAY ACROSS THE STREET, WOULD NOT ONLY PREVENT THE EQUIPMENT FROM MOVING ABOUT THE SITES BUT WOULD ALSO MAKE IT UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS FOR THE WORK TO BE CARRIED OUT UNDERNEATH, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
REMOVAL NOTICES HAVE BEEN AND WILL BE SERVED ON THE OWNERS OF THE BUILDINGS UNDER THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE BY POSTING THE NOTICES IN PROMINENT PLACES ON THE BUILDINGS WHERE SIGNBOARDS HAVE TO BE MOVED."
BEFORE THE EXPIRY OF THE NOTICES, THE OWNERS WILL HAVE THE -OPTION OF REMOVING THE SIGNBOARDS THEMSELVES. OTHERWISE THE WORK
WILL BE DONE BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS WHO WILL ARRANGE FOR THE SIGNBOARDS TO BE TAKEN DOWN AND DISPOSED OF WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE OWNERS.
ON THE QUESTION OF COMPENSATION, THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT BUILDING OWNERS AFFECTED BY THE NOTICES MAY SERVE A WRITTEN CLAIM ON THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS UNDER ANY ONE OF THE FOUR CATEGORIES IN PART I OF THE FIRST SCHEDULE OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE.
HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT COMPENSATION WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED WHERE SIGNBOARDS HAD BEEN ERECTED AND MAINTAINED WITHOUT THE CONTRAVENTION OF ANY ORDINANCE.
THE CLAIM CAN BE MADE WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE DATE OF REMOVAL.
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