Skip bin blocking stairs at Hougang HDB forces residents to detour, contractor slammed as ‘selfish’
A large skip bin placed beside Block 133 Lorong Ah Soo, which sealed off access to a flight of stairs, has caught the attention of a resident, who called the contractor behind the act “selfish”.
Mr Chen (transliterated), a 64-year-old renovation contractor, told Shin Min Daily News that he noticed a large blue skip parked along the edge of the carpark on the morning of June 28.
The skip completely obstructed a flight of stairs linking the HDB block to the open-air carpark, forcing pedestrians to take a detour.
“These renovation contractors are really selfish. They should consider the residents while carrying out their work. There are many elderly people living nearby, and now the skip is blocking their usual route down the slope, forcing them to make a big detour,” he said.
Skip bin placed there for several days
When Shin Min reporters visited the site, it was observed that there was another flight of stairs about 30 steps away that also led to the carpark. However, it opened onto a narrow road with vehicles passing through, making it less convenient than the blocked stairs.
Ms Tan (transliterated), a 70-year-old retiree, said the skip bin had been there for several days and was filled with construction waste such as wooden planks and toilet bowls.
The resident also expressed concern that the wooden planks standing upright in the skip could fall out, while rainwater collecting inside the container could become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
She felt the contractor’s actions were inappropriate, noting that residents had to use the stairs nearer to the main road, which was further away and potentially more hazardous for the elderly.
Ralph, a 22-year-old student, also felt the contractor’s actions were selfish, saying the skip bin could easily have been placed in a vacant space a distance away instead of blocking the stairs.
Mattresses piled raise bedbug breeding concerns
Mr Huang (transliterated), a 74-year-old lorry driver, said another large skip bin had been placed behind the block, with more than 10 mattresses, as well as sofas, wooden planks and other bulky items, piled beside it.
He said he had previously read a Shin Min report about mattresses left beneath HDB blocks in Hougang, where bedbugs were believed to have spread into nearby flats, leaving residents with bites.
Mr Huang believes the mattresses were being dismantled so their metal springs could be sold.
“The pile keeps getting bigger, and after they remove the springs, they’re very slow to dispose of the mattresses. I’m worried that if they get soaked by rain, bedbugs may breed and affect nearby residents,” he said.
Town council: Skip tank has been removed
The Aljunied-Hougang Town Council said it had contacted the renovation contractor involved and was informed that the skip tank was scheduled for removal on June 29. The Housing & Development Board (HDB) has also been informed of the matter.
The bulky items near another refuse skip tank behind the block were also cleared on June 28.
The town council stressed that it is working closely with the relevant parties to ensure renovation works are carried out in a manner that minimises inconvenience and maintains a clean and safe living environment.
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