WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1987
31
TATE'S CAIRN TUNNEL FEASIBILITY CONFIRMED
*****
THE FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE TATE'S CAIRN TUNNEL PROJECT COMPLETED LAST YEAR HAS CONFIRMED ITS ENGINEERING FEASIBILITY AND HAS IDENTIFIED THE MOST SUITABLE TUNNEL ALIGNMENT AND ROAD CONNECTION ARRANGEMENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON MICHAEL LEUNG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON CONRAD LAM, MR LEUNG SAID FURTHER SITE INVESTIGATIONS AND DETAILED DESIGN WERE IN PROGRESS AND THE PROJECT WOULD CONSIST OF A 4 KILOMETRE LONG DUAL TWO-LANE TUNNEL BETWEEN DIAMOND HILL IN KOWLOON AND SIU LEK YUEN IN SHA TIN, TOGETHER WITH APPROACH ROADS AND SLIP ROADS AT EITHER END TO CONNECT THE TUNNEL TO THE EXISTING AND FUTURE ROAD NETWORK.
+BEARING IN MIND THE TIME REQUIRED FOR DESIGN AND OTHER PREPARATORY WORKS, INCLUDING GAZETTING PROCEDURES, LAND RESUMPTION AND CLEARANCE, PREPARATION, ASSESSMENT AND AWARD OF TENDERS OR PROPOSALS TO BUILD, AND POSSIBLY TO OPERATE THE TUNNEL, AND MOBILISATION BY THE SELECTED CONTRACTORS OR CONSORTIUM, THE EARLIEST CONSTRUCTION IS LIKELY TO START IN THE EARLY SUMMER OF 1988, JUST OVER ONE YEAR FROM NOW,+ MR LEUNG EXPLAINED.
HE SAID THE TUNNEL WOULD BE COMPLETED IN 1992 BECAUSE BUILDING A TUNNEL OF THIS MAGNITUDE WAS A VERY COMPLEX TASK AND ADVICE FROM CONSULTANTS WAS NEEDED MAKING IT UNLIKELY THAT THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD COULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTENED.
+ON THE SHA TIN SIDE, RELATIVELY LITTLE CLEARANCE IS NECESSARY, WITH ONLY ABOUT 60 PEOPLE BEING DISPLACED. THE CLEARANCE AT THE DIAMOND HILL END WILL, HOWEVER, INVOLVE MOVING ABOUT 16 000 PEOPLE, MR LEUNG ADDED.
+TO REDUCE DISRUPTION TO THE MINIMUM, REMOVAL OF THOSE AFFECTED WILL BE PHASED TO FIT IN WITH THE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME, HE EXPLAINED.
MR LEUNG ALSO SAID THE FIRST PHASE WOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE LATTER HALF OF THIS YEAR SO THAT PREPARATORY WORKS COULD START TO ALLOW COMMENCEMENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TUNNEL
ITSELF IN EARLY SUMMER 1988.
HE ADDED FURTHER PHASES OF CLEARANCE WOULD FOLLOW TO ALLOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPROACH ROADS AND TO PROVIDE THOSE AFFECTED WITH COMPENSATION AND REHOUSING IN ACCORDANCE WITH NORMAL POLICY.
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