New Taipei City’s Sanying MRT Line and the eastern extension of the Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) are scheduled to begin operations in June, the National Development Council (NDC) said yesterday.
The Red Line, which terminates at Xiangshan Station, is to be connected by the 1.4km extension to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station. The Sanying Line would link New Taipei City’s Tucheng (土城) and Yingge (鶯歌) via Sansia District (三峽).
The NDC made the announcement at a council meeting reviewing progress on public construction projects for the year.
Photo courtesy of the New Taipei City Government’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems
The annual public infrastructure budget is NT$800 billion (US$25.04 billion), of which NT$97.3 billion was already implemented by the end of last month, the NDC said.
Other major transportation projects are also progressing, such as the Danjiang Bridge, which is scheduled to open in May, it said.
The northern section of the Taoyuan Metro Green Line and the first phase of the Tainan Railway Underground Project are set to begin operations by the end of the year, the NDC said.
In the energy sector, new gas-fired units at the Taichung and Hsinta power plants, along with the second phase of offshore wind projects, are expected to be connected to the grid or dispatched between this month and November, the NDC said.
Several cultural and public facility projects are advancing, such as the Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts and the Southern Branch of the National Central Library, which are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, it said.
A marine passenger center in Kinmen would also begin operations next month, while new cruise terminals in Penghu and Taitung are set to open in September, it added.
The NDC also gave an update on the progress of the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ initiative, “Capital Region Golden Corridor,” which aims to bolster the industrial advantages of Taipei and New Taipei City while boosting development in Keelung and Yilan.
The project is expected to drive regional revitalization through improved transportation infrastructure, it said, urging closer coordination between central and local governments to advance related developments.
Additionally, the construction of standard factory buildings in Phase 3 of the Yilan Science Park has been approved and is expected to generate 114,000 jobs, the NDC said.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
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