Underground pipe galleries to be installed to reduce road work disruption

The Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raymond Tam, yesterday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to pre-installing underground pipe galleries in future road projects, starting with a pilot project on Rua dos Mercadores.

“We will pre-install pipelines in undeveloped areas where road works are planned […] The positive response received allows us to confidently proceed with the pre-installation of underground pipe galleries, which will be convenient for everyone and reduce the need for repeated road excavation. While this may slightly extend the road closure period, it will ultimately minimize the frequency of excavation efforts,” Tam stated during yesterday’s legislative session.

According to him, following the establishment of the Roadwork Coordination Taskforce, three successful meetings were held.

The first meeting involved all coordination group members, including senior management, to outline the group’s future direction. The second meeting focused on discussions with the heads of several utility companies, while the third gathered six representatives from construction-industry groups.

“Emphasis has been placed on the related work involving building design and water supply and drainage arrangements, all of which have received positive feedback from the industry,” Tam added.

The Secretary reaffirmed the significance of the project in reducing the frequency of road excavations.

“This way, when development occurs in the future, the scope of excavation can be minimized. The industry will only need to excavate the roads in front of their plots to connect to the relevant facilities,” Tam said.

Rua dos Mercadores will serve as the first pilot project for this initiative.

“You may have observed that any construction work on Rua dos Mercadores may require road closures. Since road closures are unavoidable, we aim to reserve space for the necessary facilities in areas designated for future development,” he said.

Tam emphasized the government’s commitment to investing resources in the development of old quarters, building upon the progress achieved in new districts.

Meanwhile, lawmaker Ella Lei highlighted the importance of public works, emphasizing that more opportunities should be given to local businesses and workers to participate.

In response, Tam stated that various projects of different scales would be launched in the future, with written consultations planned to encourage local business involvement. He noted that when drafting tender documents, the proportion of local workers would be considered, and legal provisions would be included to effectively manage future outsourcing projects.