High-Speed Rail Extension Route to Pingtung Not Yet Decided

(Central News Agency Reporter Wang Yangyu, Taipei, 24th) The high-speed rail extension route ⁤to Pingtung has not yet been decided. When Democratic Progressive Party’s Kaohsiung City Legislator Li‍ Boyi was asked, ‌he was worried that ⁣if the “Kaohsiung Plan” was adopted, Kaohsiung may fall into traffic‌ darkness again.

Executive Dean Zhu⁢ Rongtai⁣ said that ⁤for the sake of high-speed ⁢rail transportation, for the development of Kaohsiung city and future presidents, if it is possible⁤ to reach a local consensus, he ⁣is⁤ willing ‍to ⁣make a decision and implement it⁢ as soon as possible.

Zhuo Rongtai⁣ today led the heads of⁤ the ⁢Executive Yuan’s‌ ministries and commissions to the Legislative Yuan to ⁤deliver policy addresses and prepare ‌for questions.

When Li Boi asked the ‍question, he was concerned about the high-speed rail extension route to Pingtung, it should ‌adopt ⁤the “Juying ‍Plan”, that is, enter directly from Pingtung instead of passing through Kaohsiung⁣ Railway Station. “Kaohsiung Plan”, that is, after the high-speed rail Juying Station to Kaohsiung Railway Station, enter Pingtung.

Li Boyi also‍ said that while the high-speed rail was reviewing several stations in the west, Kaohsiung Mayor Wu Duni skipped Taiwan ​Railway’s Kaohsiung station and only went to Juoying. Vetoed the rail‍ south and entered Kaohsiung station.

Li Boyi ⁣said the Kuomintang‍ mayor and the Kuomintang transport minister missed two opportunities to allow high-speed ​rail access⁤ to Kaohsiung station if the high-speed rail extends to Pingtung and Kaohsiung ‍accepts the plan. Whether the ⁢project takes an open pit or a hidden slope, who will impact the city of Kaohsiung?

Li Boi noted that he will not affect⁣ the ⁢development of other cities, but he hopes that the impact on Kaohsiung citizens will⁢ be minimized and that the government is now repairing the⁣ network for wrong policies at the time.

Transport Minister Chen Shikai noted that the project, in order to avoid the cause of dark periods, will use a large amount⁢ of hidden slopes, minimize open excavation and adopt a “half-and-half construction” method. That is half construction and half traffic.

Zhuo Rongtai ‌said that when he was in Kaohsiung, someone ​said that ‍if the project⁤ had been implemented more than 10 years ago, it would have been almost ‍finished and the budget would not have been so large if for high-speed rail transportation, development of‌ Kaohsiung city, and future hospitals. If possible, if there is a consensus⁢ somewhere, “I am willing to take a​ decision” and implement it as soon as possible.