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The Lands Department today (September 9) announced the resumption of private underground strata of land and creation of rights of temporary occupation over private land and underground strata in Tsim Sha Tsui and Tai Kok Tsui for the construction of the KCRC Kowloon Southern Link.
"According to the authorised Railway Scheme, the underground strata of two private lots, involving a piece of land owned by the MTR Corporation in Tai Kok Tsui and an electricity sub-station in Canton Road, with a total area of 62 square metres will be resumed under the Railways Ordinance and will revert to the Government on December 9, 2005," a spokesman for the Lands Department said.
Portions of land and strata of a number of private land including One Peking, Ocean Centre and Olympian City 2,etc will be temporarily occupied for a period of about three and a half years.
The effective date will also be three months after the gazettal date. Details of the private land and strata affected are contained in the Gazette published today.
Notices will be sent to the registered owners and interested parties and have been posted at or near the affected land.
"The acquired land and strata will be granted to Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation for construction of the Kowloon Southern Link. Those temporarily occupied land will be returned to the landowners concerned after the works for the Kowloon Southern Link have been completed," the spokesman said.
The construction work is scheduled to commence in the third quarter 2005 and is expected to be completed by 2009.
Under the Railways Ordinance (Cap 519), any person who has a compensatable interest in the land resumed or temporarily occupied may submit a claim to the Secretary for Environment, Transport and Works.
The claimants are suggested to make their claims within 12 months from the date of land taken on December 9, 2005. Any professional fees reasonably incurred for making and agreeing such a claim may be reimbursed by the Government.
If the claims cannot be settled by agreement, the claimants may apply to the Lands Tribunal for adjudication. The decision of the Lands Tribunal on the amount of compensation payable is final.
The Railway Development Section of the Lands Department which is responsible for the subject resumption and creation of rights of temporary occupation has compiled a pamphlet providing general information on the procedures and arrangements for compensation payment.
People who would like to obtain a copy of the pamphlet may approach the Railway Development Section of the Lands Department, 7/F., Hong Kong Pacific Centre, 28 Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Ends/Friday, September 9, 2005
Issued at HKT 17:38
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