NEWS
Rochor residents unhappy at lack of dialogue over move
The new Kallang flats offered to Rochor residents of Rochor Centre affected by the upcoming North-South Expressway (Way) was unveiled at a Meet The People session held on Friday evening by MP Ms Denise Phua.
But the news was met with mixed feelings, even as Ms Phua listed the benefits of moving to the new site.
Chief among the complaints was the lack of any dialogue prior to being served the acquisition notice. Some residents were also unhappy with the Kallang site, viewing it as a less than ideal location.
Ms Phua said that while she agreed that many residents at Rochor Centre enjoyed the centrality of the location, she started receiving more complaints about the standard of living there in recent years.
She told media that some residents complained that the area was noisy, and elderly people faced inconveniences such as not having lifts that serve every floor.
In contrast, Ms Phua listed amenities at the new Kallang site such as closeness to the MRT and Kallang River, and lifts on every floor of the block that would serve residents instead.
Some residents AsiaOne spoke to disagreed.
One resident was disgruntled that there was no dialogue before they were served the land aquisition notice, and said the notice came as a shock.
A long-time resident, who only wanted to be known as Miss Mag, said: "We were not given any dialogue sessions. This is a top-down approach and some people are very bitter about it."
Another Rochor resident , Miss Lim, said: "They should hear us out and hear our concerns. We have to sacrifice our home for motorists."
In response, Ms Phua said that it was difficult to have a dialogue session for a situation like this one because speculation about land aquisition would impact the land prices.
She added: "I urge the residents not to make rash decisions. HDB said that for the next month, all sales will be frozen in order for residents to collect information so that they can make the right decision."
One couple, Mr Lee and his wife, felt that the Kallang site was less than ideal, and was reluctant to move.
Mr Lee said: "The MRT track is overhead, as compared to here where it is underground. The noise will be terrible. The site is also near Geylang Lorong 1, and it is near the red light district."
| Rochor residents unhappy at lack of dialogue over move Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: ST, HDB) |
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