Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilors yesterday challenged the Taipei City Government over the construction of the Maokong Gondola system, and demanded the Control Yuan look into possible negligence on the part of the city government.
DPP Taipei City Councilor Lee Ching-feng (李慶鋒) and independent Taipei City Councilor Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) yesterday visited the Control Yuan and urged Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien to look into the city government’s responsibility of monitoring the construction of the system.
The cable car system, which opened to the public last July, was closed last month after erosion was detected under a support pillar most likely caused by mudslides after a typhoon. The city government invited a group of experts to conduct a safety evaluation and the team said it might take six months before service could be resumed.
Chen and Lee said heavy rains last weekend caused small mud slides near the pillar, and prompted more concerns over the safety of the cable car.
“Wrong policies are worse than corruption. The construction and operation of the cable car have caused controversies, and the city government should not ignore visitors’ safety,” Chen said yesterday in front of the Control Yuan.
The Taipei City Government, led by then Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), had spent NT$1.3 billion (US$ 39 million) to build the cable car, and the repair of the pillar alone would cost about NT$130 million, Lee said, challenging the quality of the gondola’s construction.
“The gondola was damaged because of some heavy rains. We can’t help but wonder if the city government turned a blind eye during the construction process,” he added.
Lee and Chen said if the city had failed to monitor the construction process, the DPP’s Taipei City caucus would look into Ma’s responsibility and demand a public apology.
Control Yuan member Ger Yeong-kuang (葛永光) received the councilors’ letter and promised to look into the matter.
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