The Cabinet on Friday gave the green light for the Taoyuan Metro Brown Line project, which aims to connect northern Taoyuan with New Taipei City and Taipei, to commence.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) announced that Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) had approved the feasibility study and comprehensive planning report for the project.
The line is to connect Taiwan Railway Corp’s Taoyuan Station with Taipei Metro’s Huilong Station.
Photo courtesy of the Taoyuan City Government
Cheng added that the project is to connect to Taipei’s Zhonghe-Xinlu Line, as well as two under-construction routes — Taipei’s Wanda-Zhonghe-Shulin Line and the Taoyuan Green Line.
When the project was first passed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in December last year, the Taoyuan Department of Rapid Transit Systems announced that it aims to complete construction of the line within eight years of Cabinet approval.
On Facebook, Cheng said he has wanted to see the project green-lit for nine years, from back when he was Taoyuan mayor.
Cheng added that the project budget was NT$45.65 billion (US$1.44 billion).
Cheng said NT$8.12 billion of the budget would go to upgrading light rail hardware so it can handle a high volume of passengers, and NT$11.18 billion would be spent on constructing the line underground.
The central government is to shoulder NT$23.84 billion of the cost and local governments are to pay NT$21.81 billion.
In related news, the ministry on Friday also approved the extension of New Taipei City’s Sanying Line.
The main route of the metropolitan railway line is currently under construction, and the extension is to add three stops to link New Taipei City with Taoyuan.
New Taipei City’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems said the three stops on the 4km line would connect New Taipei’s Sanying Line with the Taoyuan Green Line.
Department Director Lee Cheng-an (李政安) said the project is to be forwarded to the Cabinet for further approval.
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