XN000022-1992-06-28 — Page 5

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 1992

OCCUPATION OF UNLEASED CROWN LAND AN OFFENCE

THE LAND AUTHORITY REITERATED TODAY (SUNDAY} THAT OFFENCE ΤΟ ILLEGALLY OCCUPY UNLEASED CROWN LAND AND BUILDING WORKS ON IT.

IT WAS AN CARRY OUT

IN ADDITION, SUCH OFFENDERS WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE ILLEGAL WORKS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AUTHORITY SAID.

THE ADVICE CAME FOLLOWING A RECENT COURT CASE IN WHICH AN ENGINEERING COMPANY WAS FINED A TOTAL OF $8,500 FOR BUILDING A STEEL BRIDGE OVER A RIVER IN SHA TIN AND THE ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF THE UNLEASED SITE.

THE COURT WAS TOLD THAT THE BRIDGE HAD SINCE BEEN DEMOLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY AND THE DEMOLITION COST AMOUNTING TO $42,475 WOULD BE RECOVERED FROM THE DEFENDANT.

THE CASE CAME TO LIGHT ON FEBRUARY 24 WHEN A STEEL BRIDGE WAS FOUND BEING BUILT OVER A RIVER DIVIDING THE WONG NAI TAU AND ΤΑΙ LAM LIU VILLAGES IN SHA TIN. THE SITE CONCERNED WAS FOUND TO BE UNLEASED CROWN LAND.

ENQUIRIES REVEALED THAT THE BRIDGE, MEASURING 27 FEET LONG, 12 FEET WIDE AND SEVEN FEET HIGH, WAS BEING BUILT BY AN ENGINEERING COMPANY IN ORDER TO BRING VEHICLES TO THE ΤΑΙ LAM LIU VILLAGE FOR SOME CONSTRUCTION WORKS.

A NOTICE REQUIRING THE BUILDER TO DEMOLISH THE BRIDGE WITHIN TWO WEEKS WAS IMMEDIATELY POSTED ON THE SITE, BUT AN INSPECTION MADE BY THE AUTHORITY ON MARCH 9 REVEALED THAT THE BRIDGE WAS STILL THERE.

THE BRIDGE WAS DEMOLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY ON MAY 27.

TSEUNG KWAN O TUNNEL OPENING HOURS EXTENDED

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THE OPENING HOURS OF THE TSEUNG KWAN 0 TUNNEL. WHICH SERVES BETWEEN TSEUNG KWAN O NEW TOWN AND SAU MAU PING, WILL BE EXTENDED BY ONE-AND-A-HALF HOURS TO MIDNIGHT DAILY FROM NEXT WEDNESDAY (JULY 1), A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (SUNDAY).

SINCE ITS OPENING IN NOVEMBER 1990, THE TUNNEL HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR 16 HOURS EACH DAY FROM 6.30 AM TO 10.30 PM.

DURING ITS CLOSURE, VEHICLES CAN USE THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE VIA

PO LAM ROAD, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

IN JUNE, AN AVERAGE OF 12,000 VEHICLES USED THE TUNNEL EACH DAY COMPARED WITH 6,500 VEHICLES DURING THE INITIAL STAGE OF OPENING.

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