XN000022-1984-07-10 — Page 17

TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1984

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BETTER CARE FOR PRIVATE STREETS

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ILLEGAL STRUCTURES AND CANOPIES WERE DEMOLISHED AT SAM PAN STREET, WAN CHAI TODAY, IN THE FIRST CLEARANCE UNDER A PILOT SCHEME TO RESUME AND REPAIR SEVEN PRIVATE STREETS IN THE URBAN AREA.

THE OPERATION WILL ENABLE REPAIR WORK TO BE DONE, INCLUDING RECONSTRUCTION OF PART OF THE CARRIAGEWAY AND FOOTPATHS, AND IMPROVEMENT TO THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM.

TODAY'S CLEARANCE WAS CONDUCTED BY THE DISTRICT OFFICE, TOGETHER WITH THE URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION, HIGHWAYS OFFICE AND THE URBAN SERVICES AND LANDS DEPARTMENTS.

THE REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENT WORKS WOULD BEGIN SHORTLY AND BE COMPLETED IN MID-SEPTEMBER, SAID THE WAN CHAI DISTRICT OFFICER, MR LÀM KAM-KHONG.

HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD FOR MANY YEARS RECOGNISED THAT PRIVATE STREETS POSED SPECIAL MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS.

+BECAUSE OF THEIR MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP, MOST OF THE 384 PRIVATE STREETS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY ARE NOT PROPERLY MANAGED AND WERE IN SEVERELY DILAPIDATED CONDITION.

+ THE SITUATION HAS GIVEN RISE TO SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL AND TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AND COMPLAINTS FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS.

+TO ALLEVIATE THESE PROBLEMS, EFFECTIVE STREET MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL. THESE INVOLVE THE RESUMPTION OF THE STREETS, IMPLEMENTING REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND THEREAFTER MAINTAINING THE ROADS AND DRAINAGE IN A PROPER MANNER BY THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

HOWEVER, DUE TO THE HIGH COST INVOLVED IN REPAIRING THE LARGE NUMBER OF STREETS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY, MR LAM SAID, THE PILOT SCHEME WAS BEING LAUNCHED FOR THE SEVEN STREETS, AT A TOTAL COST OF $1.44 MILLION.

+ THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE SCHEME IS TO ASSESS THE EXTENT OF WORK INVOLVED, THE IMPLICATION FOR STAFF RESOURCES AND OTHER ASSOCIATED PROBLEM,+ HE SAID.

+ THE INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCE GAINED FROM THE PILOT SCHEME WILL HELP FUTURE PLANNING. +

RESUMPTION AND IMPROVEMENT WORK IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN SIX MONTHS ON THE OTHER SIX STREETS YUET YUEN STREET AND COMFORT TERRACE IN NORTH POINT, AND HOK LING STREET, SHIM LUEN STREET, TSUN FAT STREET AND YIN ON STREET IN KOWLOON CITY.

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