Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday.
The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林).
The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used on the line, which was produced by Paris-based rolling stock manufacturer Alstom SA and assembled in Brazil.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), lawmakers and city officials attended the ceremony and boarded the train.
The train was transported across the Atlantic Ocean and transited through Singapore before arriving in Taipei, Chiang told reporters.
The delivery demonstrates that the two cities are on track to complete the construction of the line on time, he said.
“Taipei will work to have the first phase of the project completed by 2027, a goal that I share with Mayor Hou. The line would facilitate travel from Chiang Kai-shek Hall to Wanhua, Yonghe (永和), Jhonghe, Tucheng and business development along the line,” Chiang said.
When the Wanhua-Jungho section opens, the commute time from Zhonghe Senior High School to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall would be reduced from 38 minutes to 14 minutes, Hou said.
“The line would offer a fast and satisfaction-guaranteed service. It would be an important MRT line connecting Taipei and New Taipei City when it is extended to Shulin and Huilong stations,” Hou said.
The Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems said that the first phase of the project would be linked to the Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line), Songshan-Xindian Line (Green Line) and Circular Line (Yellow Line).
Trains operating the line would be fully automated with medium transport capacity, the department said.
Each train would consist of four carriages, with each carriage containing 26 seats. The train capacity would be 700 passengers at a time, it said.
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