MARKET IN JALAN PIPIT (Particulars)

Mr Tay Boon Too asked the Minister for Law and National Development if he will ascertain from the Housing and Development Board what was the cost of building the former market in Jalan Pipit, and why that market was demolished late last year; and what are the reasons for rebuilding another market on the same site, and how much it will cost.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, the hawker centre of Jalan Pipit costs $312,000. It is not being demolished but renovated at a cost of $55,000. This is to provide an increase in the number of stalls from 174 to 220, provide mosaic tiling to the ground floor as the cement floor cannot withstand severe wear and tear, and introduce a closed-drainage system as the present open-drainage system is not very satisfactory.

The Housing and Development Board is also building another single-storey cooked-food centre adjoining the present two-storey hawker centre at a cost of about $200,000 to provide 40 cooked-food stalls. This is part of the Board's programme to provide sufficient permanent accommodation for hawkers within housing estates.