MORE SHOPS FOR SIMEI HOUSING ESTATE

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for National Development whether the Housing and Development Board will arrange with the developer of a HDB privatised site (located opposite Bedok South Avenue 3/New Upper Changi Road) to construct a lighted footpath that will provide a shorter and more convenient route from the Jalan Tanjong/Tanah Merah Kechil Road area to the Tanah Merah MRT station as the original footpath used for gaining access to the station has been demolished and an alternative footpath provided is too far away.

Mr S. Dhanabalan: The conditions for sale for the site opposite Bedok South Avenue 3 require the developer to provide a road linking New Upper Changi Road to his development. To create a more direct route to the Tanah Merah MRT station for residents in the Jalan Tanjong area, the PWD will construct a lighted footpath to link Tanah Merah Kechil Road with this new road.

To minimise the inconvenience to residents, we will ask the developer to build the road as early as possible to tie in with PWD's footpath construction. In the meantime, residents will have to use the alternative footpath provided next to the development site.

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for National Development whether more shops will be constructed in Simei Housing Estate for the estate to be self-contained.

Mr S. Dhanabalan: There are 24 commercial units in Simei Estate, comprising 1 mini-market, 1 eating house, 16 lock-up shops, and 6 market-produce shops. HDB is aware that the number of shops is currently not sufficient to serve the 6120 flats in the Estate. A tender will be called within the next few months for another 29 additional commercial units, which will be located next to the Simei MRT Station.

With these additional units, the number and types of shops in the Estate will be comparable to those in other HDB neighbourhoods, and will be sufficient to meet most of the needs of residents. In addition, residents have convenient access to a wide variety of shops in Tampines New Town. Annex A - 1990 RECURRENT EXPENDITURE AND ENROLMENT (Cols. 83 - 84) Annex B - TUITION FEE LOAN SCHEME (Cols. 85 - 86)