ENG-2019 — Page 252

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Planning, Land and Infrastructure

In July, the bureau established a Centre of Excellence for Major Project Leaders and engaged a renowned university to deliver a project management programme for senior directorate government officers overseeing public works projects. A number of public works projects were selected to pilot new initiatives, in particular modular integrated construction and the digital works supervision system, under Construction 2.0.

Infrastructure Investment

The government builds new infrastructure and improves existing facilities to meet economic development needs and enhance the living environment. Capital works expenditure was about $78 billion in 2018-19. The annual expenditure is expected to stay at a high level in the next few

years.

Project Strategy and Governance

The Project Cost Management Office under the bureau was upgraded in April to the Project Strategy and Governance Office. The new office aims to devise and implement initiatives to strengthen the gateway process for cost management, enhance project delivery capability, lead strategic developments to improve cost-effectiveness and enhance collaboration with international counterparts and local industry stakeholders.

In July, the Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Singapore to enhance collaboration in exchanging expertise and experience in infrastructure project management and delivery, following the signing of a similar international MoU with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority of the United Kingdom in 2018.

Drainage Services

The Drainage Services Department manages about 2,790km of drains and watercourses and 27 village floodwater pumping schemes. It carries out drainage improvement works to cater for local developments and address probable effects of climate change. The estimated cost of drainage improvement works in the planning, design and construction stages in 2019 totalled about $35.6 billion.

In February, the department started on the West Kowloon Drainage Improvement - Inter- reservoirs Transfer Scheme to build a water tunnel of about 2.8km from Kowloon Byewash Reservoir to Lower Shing Mun Reservoir to achieve the dual purpose of flood protection and water conservation.

The department inspects, clears and repairs drainage systems regularly. In 2019, it inspected about 2,300km and cleared about 780km of drains and watercourses at a cost of about $197 million.

Slope Safety

The Civil Engineering and Development Department improves slope safety by adopting better standards and technology, ensuring all new man-made slopes meet safety standards, improving the safety of existing man-made slopes, and mitigating natural terrain landslide risks. The

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