Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday accused Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate for Sinbei City, Eric Chu (朱立倫), of breaking an election pledge to build at least four MRT lines during his eight-year tenure as Taoyuan County commissioner.
Initial plans filed during his administration show that Taoyuan County was originally going to have as many as five MRT lines — three new lines, a circular route and another line modified from a stretch of existing railway track.
However, the only MRT line under construction in the region is the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT System, a route connecting the airport to Taipei City, which was approved during the DPP administration, DPP Legislator Huang Jen-chu (黃仁杼) said.
The other lines never materialized, he told reporters in the legislature.
Records show that two of the proposed lines have not been approved by the central government, while another was struck down by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) in January, citing a low rate of return.
“Chu’s election pledge to create an MRT system for Taoyuan County was completely broken,” DPP Legislator Huang Jen-chu (黃仁杼) said. “He really did not leave a record of good governance in Taoyuan — just a lot of broken promises.”
The central government’s rejection of one of the lines came despite Chu’s appointment as vice premier in September last year. He stepped down from that post in May to stand in the Sinbei City mayoral race in November.
However, Chu’s campaign yesterday blamed the construction delays on interference from the former DPP central government.
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