XN000022-1978-02-04 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1978

-- NO NEW DEVELOPMENT CAN TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE AREA WITHOUT THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY WHO IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES.

+ANY INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT WOULD ROB THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA OF ITS NATURAL SCENIC BEAUTY, WHICH IT IS INTENDED WILL BE PRESERVED,+ HE SAID,

EIGHT COUNTRY PARKS SO FAR DESIGNATED WITH A TOTAL LAND AREA OF 12,000 HECTARES. THE DESIGNATED PARKS ARE AT SHING MUN, KAM SHAN, LION ROCK, TAI PO KAU (SPECIAL AREA), ABERDEEN, TAI TAM, SAI KUNG EAST AND SAI KUNG WEST. IN ADDITION COUNTRY PARKS AT PLOVER COVE (4,500 HECTARES) AND SOUTH LANTAU (5,600 HECTARES) HAVE BEEN GAZETTED. A FURTHER NINE COUNTRY PARKS ARE PLANNED.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT WORKS IN KOWLOON TONG

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WILL SHORTLY CARRY OUT A SERIES OF ROAD AND DRAINAGE WORKS IN KOWLOON TONG IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 600-METRE-LONG ELEVATED ROAD IN THE AREA LATER THIS YEAR.

TENDERS FOR THE WORKS ARE BEING INVITED BY THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF THE P.W.D.

MR. TOM ARMOUR, ACTING CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE HIGHWAYS (KOWLOON) DIVISION, SAID THE WORKS WOULD INVOLVE THE WIDENING OF APPROACHES

· TO WATERLOO ROAD AT ITS JUNCTION WITH JUNCTION ROAD AND CORNWALL STREET.

IN ADDITION, PART OF WATERLOO ROAD BETWEEN SUFFOLK ROAD AND RUTLAND QUADRANT WOULD BE WIDENED AND A FOOTBRIDGE WOULD BE BUILT ACROSS WATERLOO ROAD AT ITS JUNCTION WITH SUFFOLK ROAD.

AT THE SAME TIME. FACILITIES AIMED AT IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY WOULD BE PROVIDED.

MR. ARMOUR SAID THAT WORKS ON THE PROJECT WOULD BEGIN IN APRIL AND WOULD TAKE ABOUT TEN MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

ON COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT AND THE ELEVATED ROAD, HE SAID, THE TRAVELLING TIME BETWEEN KOWLOON AND SHA TIN VIA THE LION ROCK TUNNELS WOULD BE GREATLY REDUCED.

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