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SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 1985
IN CONTRAST TO UNDERGROUND RAIL SYSTEMS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD, A PASSENGER ENTERING ONE OF HONG KONG'S 25 TUBE STATIONS IMMEDIATELY FEELS SAFE. THEY ALL LOOK SAFE, AND IT IS REASSURING TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE SAFE.
FOR A START, THEY ARE SPACIOUS, BRIGHTLY-LIT, AND SO PAINSTAKINGLY MAINTAINED THAT, SIX YEARS DOWN THE LINE, THEY STILL LOOK BRAND NEW. THERE ARE NO BLACK SPOTS, BLIND SPOTS, OR NICHES WHERE ANYONE CAN HIDE. THE SLEEK, AIR-CONDITIONED CARRIAGES ARE OPEN-ENDED, GIVING UNIMPAIRED VISIBILITY FROM ONE END OF THE TRAINS TO THE OTHER. THE STAINLESS STEEL SEATS ARE VANDAL-PROOF.
MOREOVER, THERE ARE NO PUBLIC TOILETS IN THE SYSTEM, NO LEFT-LUGGAGE LOCKERS, AND NO FOOD STALLS WHERE EATING IS ALLOWED. THE KIOSKS ON STATIONS ARE ALL CONSTRUCTED AS SMALL, STANDARD MODULES AND PARKED FLUSH WITH THE WALLS. CLOSE SUPERVISION IS MADE OF THE TYPES OF BUSINESS ALLOWED AND THERE IS A CEILING ON THE AMOUNTS OF CASH THEY ARE PERMITTED TO HOLD AT ANY TIME.
''THERE IS SIMPLY NO REASON FOR ANYONE TO BE HANGING AROUND DOWN THERE,'' SAID MR CLEMENTS. THE MTR ENABLES PEOPLE TO GO FROM A TO B AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO''.
CERTAINLY, THE ATMOSPHERE IS BUSINESSLIKE AND BRISK. THIS, IN ITSELF, HAS LED TO THE BONUS DETECTION OF A TYPE OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH THE RAILWAY'S OPERATION - ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
LAST YEAR, THE MTR POLICE CAUGHT 56 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA. '' MOST WERE CAUGHT TRYING TO PUT MONEY INTO THE AUTOMATIC TURNSTILES, WHICH TAKE ONLY TICKETS," SAID MR CLEMENTS. ''THE IN LOOK SO OUT OF PLACE AS THEY TRY TO OPERATE THE MODERN MACHINERY. STANDING AMONG HONG KONG'S SOPHISTICATED CROWDS, THEY JUST DON'T FIT.'
RESPONSE TIME FOR THE POLICE TO ANY INCIDENT IS AN ALMOST MIRACULOUS 60 SECONDS - MAXIMUM
MAXIMUM -- ON A STATION. OR TWO AND A HALF MINUTES IF THE OFFICER HAS TO COME BY TRAIN FROM ANOTHER STATION.
THE COMMANDER GIVES FOUR BASIC REASONS FOR THIS LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE -- THE ORGANISATION OF THE POLICE TERRITORY, COMPUTERISED CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION, AN INDISPENSABLE AND PERVASIVE 'BEAT RADIO SYSTEM, AND SPECIALISED TRAINING.
HONG KONG'S UNDERGROUND IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS THE ONLY SUB-SURFACE RAILWAY IN THE WORLD WHERE THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS A SINGLE POLICE DISTRICT OF THE REGULAR POLICE FORCE. THIS ENABLES POLICE OPERATIONS TO BE TOTALLY CO-ORDINATED UNDER ONE COMMAND STRUCTURE AND ONE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM. THE WHOLE NETWORK OF TUNNELS, TRACKS AND STATIONS IS THE IR OYSTER, THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
/AT PRESENT,