An underground railway project in Tainan City hit a snag yesterday when both the central and city governments indicated that it was beyond their power and ability to fill a financial vacuum in the required budget.
An estimate by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications showed that a budget of NT$29.57 billion (US$891.54 million) is required to build a 7.55km section of the railway under the city.
The ministry had asked Tainan to put up NT$7.14 billion, but the cash-strapped local government has complained that it could not bear such a large share of the cost.
At a meeting with Tainan City councilors and officials yesterday, Minister of Transportation and Communications Tsai Duei (蔡堆) acknowledged the importance of Tainan's underground railway project in preserving the city's many important historical relics, saying an elevated railway would ruin the city skyline.
Fearing that further delays would only add to the cost, Tsai urged that the project begin as soon as possible.
The city government suggested that the central government make the full amount needed for the project available, or else allow the city government to repay the central government NT$2.5 billion over 15 years, or NT$4 billion over 25 years.
Tsai said it was beyond his power to agree to such a proposal, while Cheng Szu-jung (鄭賜榮), director-general of the ministry's Railway Reconstruction Bureau, virtually rejected the proposal, saying that the ministry would have difficulty mustering extra funds to fill the financial vacuum.
Alternatively, Councilor Wang Ting-yu (
City Council Speaker Huang Yu-wen (黃郁文) threw his support behind Wang's proposal and urged city government officials to work out a plan with Wang so that the city council can formally endorse it for presentation to the central government.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
RSS