The reconstruction work on Shanmei Bridge (山美大橋) — which was severely damaged by Typhoon Morakot in August — broke ground yesterday after securing funding from Taiwan Mobile (台灣大哥大).
The nation’s No. 2 telecom carrier said it was providing NT$17 million (NT$515,000) through the Taiwan Mobile Foundation and had entrusted the Chiayi Do Good Group, a private contractor that does pro bono work, to help rebuild the bridge.
The foundation originally hoped to work with the nation’s highway authority and the Chiayi County Government to reconstruct the bridge.
But it found that completing the administrative procedures to start the work could take a couple of years, as it involved not only finding the right location and coordinating with the highway and water resources agencies, but also waiting for legislative approval of the reconstruction budget.
By acting without the government, the foundation was able to finalize its reconstruction plan within two weeks.
Under a National Communications Commission (NCC) policy, Taiwan Mobile was responsible for providing universal telecoms service to Shanmei (山美), Shihzih (十字) and Chashan (茶山) villages in Alishan Township (阿里山), helping build broadband infrastructure for the villages.
Taiwan Mobile said in a statement that Shanmei was one of 23 bridges damaged by Morakot in Alishan and a key route to Shanmei, Sinmei (新美), Chashan and Namasiya Township.
“The collapse of Shanmei Bridge has put the tourism industry surrounding the Danayiku on hold, and the produce in the mountains cannot be transported elsewhere. This is making it hard for residents to earn the money they need,” the company said.
The foundation’s chairman, Richard Tsai (蔡明興), said that Taiwan Mobile had managed to quickly resume telecommunication and Internet services in the areas after Morakot struck, yet the residents were cut off physically from the outside because the bridge had not been repaired.
“The foundation decided to respond to the needs of the residents in the fastest, most efficient way,” he said.
Construction on the bridge is scheduled to be complete by May.
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