The government’s project to build a rainwater pumping station in Fai Chi Kei and box culverts nearby will start on Friday, and the whole project, which will be carried out in three phases, is scheduled to be completed in 2025.
The project aims to alleviate flooding caused by torrential rain in Fai Chi Kei and its nearby Lam Mau Tong district.
Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) officials announced details of the construction project during a press conference at the Government Service Centre in Areia Preta yesterday, which was also attended by Transport Bureau (DSAT) officials who announced temporary traffic measures that will be implemented in the areas affected by the project during the construction period.
The rainwater pumping station will be located on the waterfront of Patane North Bay, a bay off Fai Chi Kei and Ilha Verde, which is known as Fai Chi Kei North Bay in Cantonese.
In addition to the rainwater pumping station and box culverts, the project will also include the setting-up of a waterfront sitting-out area at Patane North Bay.
The IAM officials said that the project aims to expand the rainwater discharge capacity in Fai Chi Kei and Lam Mau Tong.
3 phases, new sitting-out area in 1st phase
According to the officials, the project’s first phase will build a 170-metre section of box culverts along Rua do Comandante João Belo (俾若翰街/筷子基北街), i.e., the south-side waterfront of Patane North Bay.
In addition, the officials said, the first phase will also include the construction of a waterfront sitting-out area with a total area of 2,166 square metres. The sitting-out area, according to the officials, will feature various facilities such as fitness equipment, viewing platforms and a children’s “interactive” area.
The new sitting-out area will be connected to the current sitting-out area at Patane North Bay, i.e., the one along Rua Norte do Patane (沙梨頭北街), or the east-side waterfront of Patane North Bay, the officials said.
A “green barrier” comprising flowerbeds and trees will be set up to separate the future sitting-out area and the vehicular road in Rua do Comandante João Belo, the officials said.
In the second phase, the officials said, a 268-metre section of box culverts will be built along Rua da Doca Seca (船澳街), which will connect with the existing section of box culverts along Avenida Marginal do Lam Mau (林茂海邊大馬路), i.e., the south-side waterfront of Patane South Bay, and the future new box culverts along Rua do Comandante João Belo.
Patane South Bay is known as Fai Chi Kei South Bay in Cantonese.
According to the officials, the new rainwater pumping station at Patane North Bay will be built during the project’s third phase. In addition to draining rainwater, the officials said, the pumping station, which will cover an area of 920 square metres, will also include facilities that intercept sewage, with the aim of improving the current water pollution issue in Patane North Bay.
The officials said that the project’s first phase, which still start on Friday, is slated to be completed in the second half of next year.
According to the officials, the government aims to complete the project’s second phase at the end of next year, while the project’s third phase, i.e., the construction of the rainwater pumping station, is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.
The IAM officials underlined that the construction will be quite difficult as the project will be carried out in a densely populated area, which is also near the embankment, because of which the project is easily impacted by tidal changes.
The IAM and DSAT officials acknowledged that the traffic situation in the surrounding areas is expected to be significantly affected during the project’s construction period.
Consequently, the DSAT officials noted that various special traffic measures will be implemented on a temporary basis in compliance with the progression of the project.
The artist’s renditions released by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) yesterday shows the future waterfront sitting-out area at Patane North Bay.
