The Ankeng light rail system is to commence operations at the end of the year as planned, the New Taipei City Government said on Wednesday, adding that more than 90 percent of the system has been completed.
New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) in February inspected the first section of the light rail system, comprising stations K1 to K5.
On Wednesday, Hou, along with New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transport Systems Director Lee Cheng-an (李政安) and members of the media, took a test ride of the elevated second section of the system, which runs from stations K6 to K9.
Despite soaring commodity prices and a shortage of construction materials, more than 90 percent of the light rail system has been completed, Hou told reporters.
“The ride was smooth and the noise was within acceptable levels,” Hou said.
The light rail system would cut travel time for commuters from Ankeng to downtown Taipei or New Taipei City by 15 to 20 minutes, he said.
The system should also bolster local tourism as the route passes tourism hotspots such as the Erbazi Botanical Garden and the Sunshine Sports Park, he said.
As of April, all 15 light rail cars had been delivered and the entire line has since July 29 been undergoing core electromechanical system tests, the department said.
The installation of the power grid for the light rail system, its communication system, signals and monitoring systems are 85 percent complete, it added.
Although sound barriers have not yet been installed, the sound emitted by the light rail system is below the legal maximum of about 70 decibels, Lee said.
The light rail system spans 7.5km and passengers can connect to the Greater Taipei area via the circle line, the department said.
WANG RELEASED: A police investigation showed that an organized crime group allegedly taught their clients how to pretend to be sick during medical exams Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) and 11 others were released on bail yesterday, after being questioned for allegedly dodging compulsory military service or forging documents to help others avoid serving. Wang, 33, was catapulted into stardom for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代). Lately, he has been focusing on developing his entertainment career in China. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office last month began investigating an organized crime group that is allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified documents. Police in New Taipei City Yonghe Precinct at the end of last month arrested the main suspect,
A cat named Mikan (蜜柑) has brought in revenue of more than NT$10 million (US$305,390) for the Kaohsiung MRT last year. Mikan, born on April 4, 2020, was a stray cat before being adopted by personnel of Kaohsiung MRT’s Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station. Mikan was named after a Japanese term for mandarin orange due to his color and because he looks like an orange when curled up. He was named “station master” of Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station in September 2020, and has since become famous. With Kaohsiung MRT’s branding, along with the release of a set of cultural and creative products, station master Mikan
RISING TOURISM: A survey showed that tourist visits increased by 35 percent last year, while newly created attractions contributed almost half of the growth Changhua County’s Lukang Old Street (鹿港老街) and its surrounding historical area clinched first place among Taiwan’s most successful tourist attractions last year, while no location in eastern Taiwan achieved a spot in the top 20 list, the Tourism Administration said. The listing was created by the Tourism Administration’s Forward-looking Tourism Policy Research office. Last year, the Lukang Old Street and its surrounding area had 17.3 million visitors, more than the 16 million visitors for the Wenhua Road Night Market (文化路夜市) in Chiayi City and 14.5 million visitors at Tainan’s Anping (安平) historical area, it said. The Taipei 101 skyscraper and its environs —
Taiwan on Friday said a New Zealand hamburger restaurant has apologized for a racist remark to a Taiwanese customer after reports that it had first apologized to China sparked outrage in Taiwan. An image posted on Threads by a Taiwanese who ate at Fergburger in Queenstown showed that their receipt dated Sunday last week included the words “Ching Chang,” a racial slur. The Chinese Consulate-General in Christchurch in a statement on Thursday said it had received and accepted an apology from the restaurant over the incident. The comment triggered an online furor among Taiwanese who saw it as an insult to the
RSS