XN000022-1982-12-17 — Page 9

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1982

RAILWAY AREA PLANS FOR ISLAND LINE AMENDED

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THE EXISTING RAILWAY AREA PLANS FOR THE ISLAND LINE OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY BETWEEN SHEUNG WAN AND SHAU KEI WAN HAVE BEEN AMENDED BY THE DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE.

THE AMENDED PLANS, WHICH REPLACE ALL PREVIOUSLY GAZETTED RAILWAY AREA PLANS FOR THIS SECTION OF THE ISLAND LINE, HAVE BEEN DEPOSITED IN THE LAND OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT AND COPIES OF THE PLANS MAY BE INSPECTED FREE OF CHARGE AT THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN DISTRICT OFFICE ENQUIRY SUB-OFFICE, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, WEST WING, GROUND FLOOR, HONG KONG; AT THE LANDS DEPARTMENT OFFICES, MURRAY BUILDING (5TH FLOOR), GARDEN ROAD, HONG KONG AND AT ANY DISTRICT OFFICE.

FOLLOWING THIS ACTION, THE RAILWAY AREA, WITHIN WHICH LAND MAY BE RESUMED OR EASEMENTS CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING AND OPERATING THE ISLAND LINE, IS DELINEATED ON THREE RAILWAY AREA PLANS; NO. 12A AND 15A, WHICH SUBSTITUTE ALL PREVIOUS PLANS BETWEEN SHEUNG WAN AND SHAU KEI WAN, AND NO. 20 WHICH COVERS THE SECTION FROM SHAU KEI WAN TO CHAI WAN AND WHICH REMAINS UNCHANGED. THIS WILL ASSIST PROPERTY OWNERS, WHOSE LAND MAY BE AFFECTED BY RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION, IN

IDENTIFYING THE EXTENT OF THE LAND INCLUDED IN THE RAILWAY AREA.

THE NEW PLANS INCORPORATE ALL LAND PREVIOUSLY SHOWN ON THE SUPERSEDED RAILWAY AREA PLANS AND, IN ADDITION, A NUMBER OF PROPERTIES RECENTLY INCLUDED WITHIN THE GAZETTED RAILWAY AREA.

THE ISLAND LINE IS BEING DEVELOPED BY GOVERNMENT AND THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION TO A STRICT CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME, IN ORDER TO RELIEVE COMMUTER TRAFFIC BETWEEN THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL URBAN AREAS ON HONG KONG ISLAND IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME. BECAUSE OF THE EXIGENCIES THAT THIS PROGRAMME IMPOSES, PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RAILWAY AREA WHERE A POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT THESE MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE RAILWAY WORKS. WHETHER OR NOT THE PROPERTIES ARE ACTUALLY AFFECTED DEPENDS UPON GROUND CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED AS TUNNELLING AND STATION CONSTRUCTION PROCEEDS AND THE STRUCTURAL ABILITY OF OLDER BUILDINGS TO WITHSTAND NEARBY UNDERGROUND WORKS.

OCCUPIERS OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WHICH ARE REQUIRED FOR RAILWAY PURPOSES WILL, WHERE ELIGIBLE, BE OFFERED ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.

THE ALIGNMENT