IAM targets urban upgrades and barrier-free facilities in annual review

[Photo; Yukie Lei]

The Municipal Affairs Bureau’s (IAM) Administration Committee held its first regular meeting of the year yesterday, with chairman Chao Wai Ieng saying the panel will review public feedback on the planning of the Zone A New Urban Zone.

He added that the review would also cover maintenance of temporary sites, improvements to hardware facilities such as sidewalks, licensing for emerging industries, and waste-management practices.

Yesterday’s meeting also included a report on the implementation of the authorities’ work plans, with the bureau outlining 53 work plans for the 2025 fiscal year.

According to data from the project management system, the overall average actual progress rate for work objectives stood at 99.48% as of the end of December last year.

While the authorities acknowledged that progress in some departments or divisions has been “slower than expected,” Chao said that all tasks “have commenced smoothly” and that related work remains within an anticipated and controllable scope, keeping overall progress aligned with expectations.

Among the 16 committee members who spoke, concerns were raised about the need to further improve the city’s barrier-free facilities.

Specific incidents were cited, including cases of electric wheelchairs overturning on ramps at barrier-free facilities and the lack of accessible amenities in the private vehicle boarding area at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge checkpoint.

These points underscored inconsistencies in the standards of some of Macau’s accessible facilities.

Committee member Lei Chong In emphasized the need for authorities to comprehensively review the current acceptance standards for such facilities – particularly regarding height differences – to ensure they meet requirements for safe and convenient use.

He also called for a thorough inspection of all areas in the city, urging timely additions and improvements to locations where accessible facilities may have been overlooked.

Separately, committee members submitted recommendations to the authorities regarding the government’s recently announced plan to temporarily utilize 30 additional vacant land parcels and future municipal infrastructure development in Zone A.

They, respectively, emphasized the need for a scientific basis in long-term land utilization planning and urged the authorities to enhance recreational amenities in upcoming municipal projects compared to previous public housing designs in the area.

This includes utilizing building platforms to create larger recreational zones equipped with fitness facilities, public restrooms, and children’s play areas, as well as placing a greater emphasis on outdoor sports facilities, such as soccer fields, basketball courts, and ping-pong courts, to meet the recreational needs of various age groups.

Meanwhile, another committee member highlighted the growing demand among visitors to Macau for higher-quality tourism experiences, noting the emergence of personalized services such as paid photography.

Despite five prosecutions for such services between March 1 and November 30 last year, this member proposed that authorities initiate pilot studies on licensing systems for emerging business models.

She believes that this approach would establish clear operational guidelines, designated zones, or time slots to ensure that these services operate in an orderly and controlled manner in response to societal demand.