TNAG-0509-FCO40-574-Construction-of-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 37

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HKK 21/2.

FRIDAY, JULY 5, 197411 JUL 1974

HKK 21

COMPULSORY RESUMPTION OF LAND FOR MTR PROJECT COMPENSATION PAYMENTS TO BE BASED ON OPEN MARKET VALUE

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TO ALLOW FOR THE BUILDING AND FUTURE RUNNING OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, A BILL, PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GAZETTE, PROVIDES FOR THE COMPULSORY ACQUISITION OF LAND AND PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION BASED ON THE OPEN HARKET VALUE.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE BILL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CLAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) BILL 1974, BRINGS TOGETHER IN ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION PROVISIONS FROM SEVERAL EXISTING ORDINANCES AND WILL BOTH SIMPLIFY AND SPEED UP PROCEDURES FOR THE ACQUISITION OF LAND FOR THE HASS, TRANSIT RAILWAY AND FOR AGREEMENT ON THE TERMS FOR COMPENSATION.

THE BILL ALSO INCORPORATES, HE WENT ON, PROVISIONS FOR THE CREATION OF EASEMENTS FOR TUNNELLING AND CONFERS POWERS TO CARRY OUT OTHER WORKS SUCH AS STREET ALTERATIONS, UNDERPINNING OF BUILDINGS AND THE REMOVAL OF OBSTRUCTIONS.

SINCE 1968, WHEN PLANNING FOR THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY BEGAN, IT HAD BEEN THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TO PURCHASE LAND AFFECTED AS AND WHEN IT BECAME AVAILABLE. DESIGNERS HAD ALSO CAREFULLY PLANNED THE RAILWAY SO THAT IT FOLLOWED, WHEREVER POSSIBLE, EXISTING PUBLIC STREETS AND HIGHWAYS, AND SO HAD REDUCED TO THE MINIMUM, INTEFERENCE WITH PRIVATE LAND AND PROPERTY.

).

+THE RESULT HAS BEEN THAT, OUT OF 74 MAJOR SITES REQUIRED FOR THE FIRST FOUR STAGES, 64 WERE ALREADY THE PROPERTY OF THE CROWN AND INVOLVED NO PRIVATE PROPERTY AT ALL,+ THE SPOKESHAN SAID.

+ IN FACT, THE SPOKESMAN CONTINUED, '+FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST FOUR STAGES OF THE RAILWAY, THERE ARE ABOUT 30 OWNERS AND 250 TENANTS WHO WILL HAVE TO MOVE AND BE RE-HOUSED. OTHERS WILL OF COURSE BE AFFECTED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILWAY BUT THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO HOVE.+

THE SPOKESMAN WENT ON: +BECAUSE MOST OF THE RAILWAY WILL RUN UNDER PUBLIC OR EXISTING CROWN LAND, THERE WILL NOT BE EXTENSIVE OPERATIONS OR WORKS UNDER PRIVATE PROPERTY. WHERE IT DOES HAVE TO BE CARRIED OUT, COMPENSATION WILL BE PAID IF THE OWNER SUFFERS ANY LOSS.+

THE BILL PROVIDES FOR PLANS OF THE RAILWAY AREA TO BE PREPARED AND PUBLISHED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS. THESE WILL BE DISPLAYED IN VARIOUS GOVERNMENT OFFICES INCLUDING THOSE OF CITY DISTRICT OFFICES. THE TERM +RAILWAY AREA+ MEANS THE AREA WITHIN WHICH LAND MAY BE RESUMED OR EASEMENTS CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING AND RUNNING THE RAILWAY.

/THE BILL