The government would create a budget for a direct railway line connecting Taipei and Yilan County if the project passes an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Committee and other agencies, Minister of Transportation and Communications Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) said yesterday.
Hochen told the legislature’s Transportation Committee that about half of the NT$880 billion (US$29 billion) for the “Forward-Looking Infrastructure Construction Project,” has been allocated to railway-related projects.
The Cabinet listed 38 projects for cities and counties governed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but a direct Taipei-Yilan railway line proposed by lawmakers representing Yilan County was excluded from the list.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
DPP Legislator Chen Ou-po (陳歐珀), who recently announced his bid to run for Yilan County commissioner, criticized the government for its ignorance of the needs of the county’s residents, first by former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) “i-Taiwan” 12 Infrastructure Projects and now by President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) proposal.
Chen said the government has budgeted nearly NT$450 billion for railway-related projects, but the county would receive only NT$12 million to pay for the proposed direct railway line and environmental impact analysis, even though it requested NT$130 billion.
Chen asked if the Ministry of Transportation and Communications supports the project, adding that the government cannot just stop a project because it is struck down by an EIA Committee.
“Yilan residents pride themselves on being highly environmentally conscious. I oppose the No. 2 route proposed by the Railway Reconstruction Bureau, which would be unsafe and harmful to the environment,” he said.
“However, if option No. 1, which is parallel to the Chiang Wei-shui Memorial Freeway [National Freeway No. 5], fails to secure EIA committee approval, the government has to amend the project and make it viable again,” he added.
Chen said he believed the project would be technically viable, using the Channel Tunnel that links England and France as an example.
Chen said that Feitsui Reservoir’s (翡翠水庫) water quality would be worse without the construction of the Hsuehshan Tunnel (雪山隧道), in opposition to environmentalists opinions.
Hochen told lawmakers that the ministry’s assessment of the project is scheduled to be completed by the middle of next year, adding that the project would undergo EIA Committee review after it is approved by the ministry and the Executive Yuan.
Should the project secure committee approval, the ministry can start allocating a budget for it from the special budget program and the ministry’s annual budget, Hochen said.
Even though the a small budget has been earmarked for Yilan County, Hochen said that there are still many things that the central government can do to address the transport needs of east coast residents. Building a crossover railway line between Cidu (七堵) and Badu (八堵) railway stations would quickly enhance train capacity heading to Hualien and Taitung, Hochen said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old