Taipa and Coloane Community Service Consultative Council members voiced concerns about the newly-opened elevated walkway in Taipa, especially on issues such as hygiene and construction problems, before its regular closed-door meeting at the Islands District Public Services Centre in Seac Pai Van yesterday.
Council member Ng Hong Kei noted that on the first day of its opening, the lifts already required repairs, adding that in the first 10 days of the skywalk’s operation, there were a lot of other repairs carried out. He stressed that there are no longer any zebra crossings on the road beneath the elevated walkway, so that if the lifts continue to break down, it would cause a lot of inconvenience to residents, especially the ones with disabilities.
Ng also said that recently many residents have been noticing cracks and rust stains on the skywalk pointing out that they are worried about the quality of the skywalk construction. He underlined that the elevated walkway cost 340 million patacas to build, and if the quality is “subpar” as such, then the related construction entities should check the skywalk as soon as possible.
Fellow council member Lo Chung Yee said that many drivers told her that when they turn into Avenida de Guimarães from Rua de Nam Keng, Rua de Seng Tou or Rua de Bragança, the lift area blocks their sight and creates a blind spot. Lo suggested the government set up some blind spot detectors to avoid accidents.
Meanwhile, fellow council member Lam Ka Chun said that many residents have been giving positive feedback about the skywalk. However, he said, the hygiene problem is a concerning issue. According to Lam, within a week, many residents have been spotting cigarette ends, animal waste and a lot of dirt and stains on the walkway. He suggested putting up some signs to remind pedestrians to not litter on the skywalk.
This photo taken on Monday shows Taipa’s new skywalk above Avenida de Guimarães. Photo courtesy of TDM
