Kaohsiung MRT Faces NT$10.3 Billion Shortfall, Legislator Lai Rui-lung Calls for Bipartisan Support
Legislator Lai Rui-lung of the Democratic Progressive Party called for bipartisan support to address the NT$10.3 billion funding shortfall for Kaohsiung MRT. He also advocated for evaluating the northern extension of National Highway No. 7 and establishing a 24-hour international airport to accelerate Kaohsiung's urban development.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 20:57
- 🔍 Collected: April 29, 2026 at 21:31 (33 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 01:23 (3h 51m after Collected)
Kaohsiung, April 29 (CNA) — The Legislative Yuan's Transportation Committee today inspected Kaohsiung's transportation infrastructure. Legislator Lai Rui-lung of the Democratic Progressive Party said that Kaohsiung MRT faces a NT$10.3 billion funding shortfall, and called for full bipartisan support. He also promoted the evaluation of the northern extension of National Highway No. 7 and a 24-hour international airport to drive urban development.
Legislators Lai Rui-lung, Lee Kun-tse, Hsu Chih-chieh of the Democratic Progressive Party, along with Kaohsiung City Council Speaker Kang Yu-cheng and several councilors, attended a briefing at the Railway Bureau's Southern Engineering Office this afternoon. They reviewed the progress of major transportation construction projects in Kaohsiung and matters requiring central government assistance.
During the process, it is suspected that due to abnormal drainage from the air conditioner in the meeting room, water continuously seeped from the ceiling. Attending councilors changed seats, and water even leaked in front of Hsu Chih-chieh's seat. Staff quickly brought plastic boxes and rags to catch the water. Hsu Chih-chieh laughed and said, "It's a small matter, it's okay," and continued his speech. The leaking incident did not affect the meeting.
The Kaohsiung City Mass Rapid Transit Bureau stated that four lines of the Kaohsiung MRT S-corridor are progressing simultaneously. After completion, the operational network will reach 112.3 kilometers, with 114 stations and 19 interchange points. The shield machine for the "civil engineering" of the Siaogang-Linyuan Line (RL) is expected to arrive in Kaohsiung in August, and the second phase will be contracted through traditional tendering, with construction slated to begin in August.
The Kaohsiung MRT Bureau pointed out that this year it reported a central government funding request of NT$13.8 billion, but only NT$3.5 billion was allocated, resulting in a difference of approximately NT$10.3 billion. This could lead to a lack of budget to cover contractors' progress payments, and they hope the Ministry of Transportation and Communications will supplement the missing funds to ensure continuous construction of Kaohsiung MRT.
Regarding the progress of the Kaohsiung MRT Purple Line, which passes through Sanmin, Zuoying, Nanzi, Ciaotou, and Yanchao districts, the Kaohsiung MRT Bureau mentioned that this line passes through several important hubs such as medical centers and universities, and connects to the semiconductor S-corridor industrial park. The revised report was submitted to the ministry for review in March, and they hope for support and prompt approval from relevant ministries.
Lai Rui-lung stated through a press release that the Kaohsiung MRT Bureau frankly admitted that due to impacts such as revisions to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and the stagnation of the central government budget bill, construction funds face a NT$10.3 billion shortfall, potentially leading to risks of no budget for payments. He called for full bipartisan support, stating that railway construction is vital for Kaohsiung's future.
Lai Rui-lung also requested prompt execution of the feasibility study for the northern extension of National Highway No. 7. He stated that a complete road system for traffic diversion can reduce congestion, improve industrial transportation efficiency, and also ensure commuting, tourism, and disaster resilience.
Regarding the planning of a "Kaohsiung 24-hour International Airport," Lai Rui-lung believes that Kaohsiung should follow the dual-airport model of Tokyo, Japan, Seoul, South Korea, and northern Taiwan, to fill the gap in the south's lack of 24-hour international aviation. This case is related to industrial transformation, international transportation, and regional competitiveness. He suggested planning it towards the "Nanxing Project" and initiating relevant evaluations. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150429
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Legislators Lai Rui-lung, Lee Kun-tse, Hsu Chih-chieh of the Democratic Progressive Party, along with Kaohsiung City Council Speaker Kang Yu-cheng and several councilors, attended a briefing at the Railway Bureau's Southern Engineering Office this afternoon. They reviewed the progress of major transportation construction projects in Kaohsiung and matters requiring central government assistance.
During the process, it is suspected that due to abnormal drainage from the air conditioner in the meeting room, water continuously seeped from the ceiling. Attending councilors changed seats, and water even leaked in front of Hsu Chih-chieh's seat. Staff quickly brought plastic boxes and rags to catch the water. Hsu Chih-chieh laughed and said, "It's a small matter, it's okay," and continued his speech. The leaking incident did not affect the meeting.
The Kaohsiung City Mass Rapid Transit Bureau stated that four lines of the Kaohsiung MRT S-corridor are progressing simultaneously. After completion, the operational network will reach 112.3 kilometers, with 114 stations and 19 interchange points. The shield machine for the "civil engineering" of the Siaogang-Linyuan Line (RL) is expected to arrive in Kaohsiung in August, and the second phase will be contracted through traditional tendering, with construction slated to begin in August.
The Kaohsiung MRT Bureau pointed out that this year it reported a central government funding request of NT$13.8 billion, but only NT$3.5 billion was allocated, resulting in a difference of approximately NT$10.3 billion. This could lead to a lack of budget to cover contractors' progress payments, and they hope the Ministry of Transportation and Communications will supplement the missing funds to ensure continuous construction of Kaohsiung MRT.
Regarding the progress of the Kaohsiung MRT Purple Line, which passes through Sanmin, Zuoying, Nanzi, Ciaotou, and Yanchao districts, the Kaohsiung MRT Bureau mentioned that this line passes through several important hubs such as medical centers and universities, and connects to the semiconductor S-corridor industrial park. The revised report was submitted to the ministry for review in March, and they hope for support and prompt approval from relevant ministries.
Lai Rui-lung stated through a press release that the Kaohsiung MRT Bureau frankly admitted that due to impacts such as revisions to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and the stagnation of the central government budget bill, construction funds face a NT$10.3 billion shortfall, potentially leading to risks of no budget for payments. He called for full bipartisan support, stating that railway construction is vital for Kaohsiung's future.
Lai Rui-lung also requested prompt execution of the feasibility study for the northern extension of National Highway No. 7. He stated that a complete road system for traffic diversion can reduce congestion, improve industrial transportation efficiency, and also ensure commuting, tourism, and disaster resilience.
Regarding the planning of a "Kaohsiung 24-hour International Airport," Lai Rui-lung believes that Kaohsiung should follow the dual-airport model of Tokyo, Japan, Seoul, South Korea, and northern Taiwan, to fill the gap in the south's lack of 24-hour international aviation. This case is related to industrial transformation, international transportation, and regional competitiveness. He suggested planning it towards the "Nanxing Project" and initiating relevant evaluations. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150429
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship of yours is a force to protect press freedom.
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.