Chiayi City Old House Extension and Drainage Improvement: Legislator Wang Mei-hui Secures NT$400 Million in Funding

Legislator Wang Mei-hui's service office today issued a press release stating that Wang Mei-hui recently met with Tsai Chang-chan, Director-General of the Ministry of the Interior's National Land Management Agency, to review Chiayi City's urban planning, townscape, old house extension, and drainage system construction, and actively sought central government resources to strengthen local construction.

Wang Mei-hui stated that old house extension is an important issue of concern to Chiayi citizens. The central government will subsidize Chiayi City to establish a professional service team, with the team's two-year expenses of approximately NT$12 million fully borne by the central government, providing free consultation services to citizens; the central government also plans to subsidize approximately NT$200 million from 2026 to 2027 for structural reinforcement and barrier-free improvements of old houses in Chiayi City.

Wang Mei-hui said that in the face of climate change challenges, improving Chiayi City's flood control and drainage capabilities is urgent. This year, Chiayi City will promote multiple drainage improvement and pumping station projects, including the expansion of the Houhu Pumping Station, the renovation of the Chiayi Railway Station pedestrian underpass into a detention pond, and the North Drainage stormwater sewer project. The central government will subsidize over NT$200 million for these projects, comprehensively enhancing the city's disaster resilience.

In addition, regarding the townscape, Wang Mei-hui said that the "Shuangyuan Le Ling New Gateway" (Youzhong, Fanzigou Park) project, which was surveyed last year, has been approved for NT$2.6 million in planning fees, and another NT$29 million in engineering fees are expected to be approved this year; Chiayi Park and Arboretum, severely damaged by a typhoon last year, have been planned for NT$10 million in restoration, and NT$10 million is simultaneously being sought for the overall environmental improvement project of the West District Water Resources Center, continuously optimizing the urban environment.

Tsai Chang-chan stated at the meeting that he strongly supports all the above constructions, and the central government will continue to assist Chiayi City in promoting relevant constructions. (Edited by Chen Jen-hua) 1150410