MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1981
MAJOR PWD PROJECTS INSPECTED
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MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S PUBLIC WORKS SUB-COMMITTEE TOOK A FIRST HAND LOOK THIS AFTERNOON AT THE PROGRESS OF MAJOR GOVERNMENT PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN SHA TIN.
EACH YEAR THE SUB-COMMITTEE HOLDS TWO MEETINGS TO REVIEW PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, AND TO CONSIDER NEW ITEMS FOR INCLUSION IN THE PROGRAMME.
THE TOUR TODAY WAS ARRANGED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THE VISITORS WERE ACCOMPANIED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR NICKY CHAN, AND OTHER DIRECTORS AND SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE PWD, AS WELL AS MR A.N. SAVAGE, PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT FINANCIAL SECRETARY.
THE PARTY FIRST VISITED THE NEW SHA TIN RAILWAY STATION AND THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY DEPOT IN THE AREA. THEY ALSO TOOK A CLOSE LOOK AT SOME OF THE NEW ELECTRIC TRAINS.
THEY THEN PROCEEDED TO A LOOKOUT POINT WHERE THEY WERE BRIEFED ON SHA TIN DEVELOPMENT AND THE PROGRESS BEING MADE ON THE SHA TIN SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS.
WORK ON STAGE ONE OF THE TREATMENT WORKS, WHICH COSTS ABOUT $340 MILLION, IS ABOUT 95 PER CENT COMPLETE.
WHEN COMPLETED IN MAY NEXT YEAR, IT WILL BE CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING SOME 103 MILLION CUBIC METRES OF SEWAGE GENERATED BY A POPULATION OF SOME 236 000 DAILY.
STAGE TWO OF THE PROJECT, THE DESIGN WORK FOR WHICH IS ALMOST COMPLETE, WILL DOUBLE THE CAPACITY OF THE PLANT. WORK ON THIS STAGE IS EXPECTED TO START IN MAY AND BE COMPLETED IN 1984.
THE PARTY ENDED THE DAY WITH A VISIT TO THE PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL AND POLYCLINIC, FORMERLY KNOWN AS SHA TIN TEACHING HOSPITAL.
THE $436-MILLION HOSPITAL, PARTLY FINANCED BY THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, IS A FULLY AIR-CONDITIONED REGIONAL GOVERNMENT TEACHING HOSPITAL WITH A TOTAL OF 1 400 BEDS.
THE HOSPITAL, SITUATED ON A 10.5 HECTARE SITE IN THE EASTERN PART OF SHA TIN NEW TOWN, COMPRISES A THREE-STOREY POLYCLINIC BLOCK, A MAIN WARD BLOCK, A SPECIAL WARD BLOCK AND A CLINICAL SCIENCE BLOCK, ALL OF WHICH ARE 12 STOREYS HIGH OVER ONE BASEMENT FLOOR.
WHEN COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER NEXT YEAR, THE HOSPITAL WILL PROVIDE A FULL RANGE OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH FACILITIES WITH GENERAL AND SPECIALIST SERVICES. IT WILL SERVE THE 700 000 PEOPLE IN THE EASTERN AREA OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND WILL ALSO BE THE TEACHING HOSPITAL FOR THE MEDICAL FACULTY OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, PROVIDING CLINICAL TRAINING FACILITIES FOR 300 STUDENTS.