There were squatter dwellings (shanties) up and down the hill that were demolished after years of effort by the Hong Kong Government. The squatter population peaked at around 50,000 people. Parts of the squatter settlement were demolished over the years, including for expansion of the Kai Tak Airport during the Japanese occupation, construction of the Mass Transit Railway, Lung Cheung Road, and the Tate's Cairn Tunnel. Due to the dramatic shortage of public housing available for resettlement, the final sections were only demolished in 2001.