The government has stated that it has no intention of fully revitalizing the underground air-raid tunnels, following a lawmaker’s proposal to utilize these shelters for tourism purposes to promote patriotism.
Lawmaker Stanley Ng Chau-pei proposed on Wednesday that the relics be made use of to promote patriotic tourism, drawing inspiration from successful initiatives in Mainland China, the UK, and Germany.
In a written reply, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho noted that 26 disused air-raid tunnels have been identified in Hong Kong. However, the government currently has no plans for their full revitalization and re-use.
Linn pointed out that re-using the tunnels would require appropriate strengthening works to ensure safety, along with the installation of additional facilities.
“These works and installation of facilities will occupy space within the air-raid tunnels, further narrowing the internal space, which may affect the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of their re-use,” she added.
She also emphasized that authorities will conduct a more focused assessment of the conditions, limitations, and cost-effectiveness of using these military relics to promote tourism and historical education.
