FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1985
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NIGHT TUNNELLING WORK TO START ON ROUTE FIVE
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TUNNELLING ENGINEERS WILL SOON BE WORKING 24 HOURS A DAY TO COMPLETE A NEW ROAD LINK BETWEEN SHA TIN AND TSUEN WAN BY MID- 1989.
THE $600-MILLION SHING MUN SECTION OF ROUTE FIVE WILL BE 3.6 KILOMETRES LONG, AND 2.6 KILOMETRES OF IT WILL BE IN TUNNELS UNDER NEEDLE HILL AND SMUGGLERS RIDGE. THE ROAD WILL REDUCE TRAVELLING TIME BETWEEN THE TWO TOWNS FROM THE PRESENT 30 TO ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINUTES. IT WILL ALSO CONSIDERABLY EASE CONGESTION AT THE LION ROCK TUNNEL.
TENDERS ARE BEING INVITED FROM LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTORS FOR THE TUNNELLING WORK WHICH IS EXPECTED TO START EARLY NEXT YEAR.
TO MEET THE 1989 TARGET DATE, TUNNEL DRIVING WILL OPERATE ON A 24-HOUR BASIS, AND TO PERMIT THIS, A SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE (EXEMPTION FROM SECTION 13) ORDER 1985 HAS BEEN GAZETTED. THIS GRANTS PERMISSION FOR WORK AT NIGHT AND ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.
IN EFFECT, IT ALLOWS BLASTING INSIDE THE TUNNEL 20 METRES OR MORE FROM THE ENTRANCE AND THE MOVING OF SPILL FROM THE TUNNEL THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID: +TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR WORKING ON TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION IS COMMON PRACTICE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CAPITAL INVESTMENT INVOLVED DUE TO THE EXPENSIVE SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT USED.
+ IT IS PARTICULARLY NECESSARY FOR THE ROUTE FIVE TUNNELS BECAUSE IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO WORK FROM BOTH ENDS TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OWING TO THE DIFFICULT ACCESS AND PROXIMITY TO THE HEADWATERS OF THE LOWER SHING MUN RESERVOIR.+
THE CONTRACTOR WILL HAVE TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY MEASURES TO REDUCE NOISE. THESE WILL INCLUDE USING BAFFLES AND SILENCERS ON MOVING PLANT, ENCLOSURES FOR STATIONARY PLANT, PROPER PLANT MAINTENANCE, NOISE SCREENS AND THE AVOIDANCE OF UNDULY NOISY ACTIVITIES WHERE PRACTICABLE. FAILURE TO DO THIS WILL RESULT IN THE CANCELLATION OF THE EXEMPTION ORDER.
DESPITE ALL MEASURES TAKEN, THERE WILL BE SOME NOISE AT THE TUNNEL ENTRANCES. IF THE NOISE LEVEL IS CONSIDERED HIGH ENOUGH BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DOUBLE- GLAZING AND AIR-CONDITIONING CAN BE INSTALLED IN THE FEW DWELLINGS AFFECTED.
THE GOVERNMENT WILL PAY ALLOWANCES FOR RUNNING COSTS WHILE TUNNELL ING WORK IS IN PROGRESS.
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