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Kaohsiung MRT’s Orange Line likely to be delayed

The launch of the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit’s (MRT) Orange Line, scheduled for the end of next month, is likely to be delayed, the municipal government’s Department of Mass Rapid Transit said.

Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp (KRTC) general manager Fan Chen-po (范陳柏) said yesterday that the company would apply for an initial field inspection of the MRT system next week, following successful test runs late last month.

Fan said that following the application, the inspections could be carried out from the middle of this month and be completed in time to allow for the launch of services at the end of next month as scheduled.

However, the Department of Mass Rapid Transit disagreed with Fan’s assessment, saying that although preliminary testing had gone smoothly, facilities at the Formosa Boulevard and Sizihwan stations had yet to be completed.

The department said equipment at all the facilities — including the control system at the two stations’ service platforms — should be fully installed before the KRTC could apply for a formal initial field inspection of the line.

The department said more time was needed to ensure that the facilities met the needs of disabled people and to fix the fire safety system.

Because of these factors, the department said, it seemed unavoidable that the launch of the Orange Line would be delayed.
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