Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Wai Man announced during a cross-departmental meeting that the government will establish a database for dilapidated buildings, which will work in tandem with the government’s newly revised building maintenance subsidy schemes to jointly advance urban renewal, according to a joint statement by the Lands and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU) and the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) yesterday.
In line with this initiative, the Lands and Urban Construction Bureau and the Environmental Protection Bureau, in collaboration with power utility CEM, have launched buildings’ joint inspections at the “Iao Hon Estate”, aiming to inspect structural and electrical safety, mitigate accident risks, and further safeguard public safety, the statement said.
The Lands and Urban Construction Bureau has primarily conducted professional assessments of structural safety, including external walls, common-area floor tiles, and staircases, the statement said, adding that for the staircases, inspectors have examinede and documented every single flight from the ground floor up to the rooftop to perform an initial comprehensive evaluation.
The dilapidated “Iao Hon Estate” consists of seven building clusters in the northern district, covering Hong Tai Bldg (康泰樓), Kat Cheong Bldg (吉祥樓), Son Lei Bldg (順利樓), Heng Long Bldg (興隆樓), Mau Tan Bldg (牡丹樓), Man Sau Bldg (萬壽樓) and Seng Yee Bldg (勝意樓). These seven blocks of buildings have 2,556 residential and commercial units in total.
Meanwhile, the Lands and Urban Construction Bureau, together with CEM, have comprehensively reviewed the overall operation and maintenance levels of internal common electrical installations in the buildings, including checking whether wiring connections comply with relevant safety and technical specifications, screening high-risk issues such as ageing wires, electrical leakage, short circuits, and overloading, as well as addressing potential risks early to eliminate safety hazards, the statement said.
The government reminded property owners of their legal obligations to fulfil daily maintenance responsibilities, which include regularly inspecting communal facilities and strengthening the management of fire safety systems and common electrical installations.
This undated handout photo provided by the Lands and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU) and the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) yesterday shows DSSCU and CEM officials checking electric installations at the dilapidated “Iao Hon Estate” in the northern district.
