XN000022-1985-10-02 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1985

VAST AREA CLEARED FOR CHINA ROAD LINK PROJECT

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THE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE OVER 53 FISH PONDS COVERING AN AREA OF 32 HECTARES IN LOK MA CHAU, SAN TIN TOMORROW (THURSDAY) FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LOK MA CHAU VEHICULAR BORDER LINK WITH CHINA.

ABOUT 230 STRUCTURES SCHEDULED TO BE CLEARED TOMORROW, HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED BY THE OCCUPANTS THEMSELVES WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE SAN TIN RURAL COMMITTEE.

YUEN LONG DISTRICT OFFICER, MR JAMES WILSON, SAID:

+THE RURAL COMMITTEE HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN EXPLAINING THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES TO THE VILLAGERS, AND THIS HAS MADE THE WORK OF ALL DEPARTMENTS MUCH EASIER.+

FORTY-FIVE FAMILIES, COMPRISING 203 PEOPLE, HAVE BEEN REHOUSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING SET BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.

EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES AMOUNTING TO $8 MILLION HAVE BEEN PAID FOR FISH PONDS, WORKSHOPS AND AGRICULTURAL UNDERTAKINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FIXED RATES FOR DEVELOPMENT CLEARANCES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES,

SITE INVESTIGATIONS WILL START THIS SATURDAY (OCTOBER 5), AND WILL TAKE FOUR WEEKS TO COMPLETE. WORK ON THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD WILL COMMENCE NEXT MONTH.

WHEN COMPLETED, THE BORDER LINK WILL FORM PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROAD DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE VEHICULAR BORDER LINK AT LOK MA CHAU IS NEEDED TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING VOLUME OF TRAFFIC TO AND FROM CHINA, IT WILL SUPPLEMENT THE EXISTING CROSSINGS AT MAN KAM TO AND SHA TAU KOK.

THE PROJECT IS ESTIMATED TO COST $260 MILLION, AND IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN EARLY 1988 TO TIE IN WITH THE HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENT IN SHENZHEN.

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