An outcry from Lantau residents and tourists wanting to see the Big Buddha has forced the partial reopening of Lantau South Road, 11 days after a landslide paralysed the island's traffic.
The road would reopen between 6am and 8.30am and 5.30pm and 6.30pm today, subject to approval by the Geotechnical Engineering Office, Highways Department chief engineer Jim Fearns said.
The compromise to reopen the section of the main road near Lychee Yuen between Mui Wo and Pui O came after a meeting between the Highways Department and provisional islands district board members yesterday.
Board chairman Lam Wai-keung welcomed the reopening, which he said would mean residents and students did not have to wake before dawn to take a longer route to work or school.
Tourists planning trips to the Big Buddha had been disappointed at having to head back after realising the main road was closed.
A spokesman for Po Lin Monastery, Au Ngai, said the sharp decrease in tourists over the past 10 days had caused a significant drop in income.
'Usually, we have a few hundred visitors every day. They spend money on food and drinks and other facilities. Now we have less than 20 visitors,' Mr Au said.
