Taipei MRT Xinyi Line Eastern Extension Passes Preliminary Inspection, Aiming for June Opening After 4 Improvements

(Taipei, 17th, CNA Reporter Yang Shu-min) The Taipei City Department of Transportation announced today that the preliminary inspection for the MRT Xinyi Line's eastern extension, from Xiangshan Station to Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, has been successfully completed. A total of four items require improvement before the final inspection. These will be executed with the Department of Rapid Transit Systems and Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, and after passing re-examination, an application for final inspection will be submitted to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, with hopes for a late-June opening. The extension continues from the end tracks of Xiangshan Station, extending eastward along Section 6 of Xinyi Road to the Guangci Bo'ai Park, adding the terminal station "Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station." The total length is about 1.4 kilometers. Construction began in October 2016, with the city's original goal being a Q1 opening this year. The Department of Transportation's Public Transportation Office hosted the preliminary inspection today. In a press conference tonight, Deputy Commissioner Chang Hwa-jen announced that the inspection was passed. She stated that items to be completed before the final inspection will be further revised with the rapid transit engineering and operating companies, with plans to apply for the ministry's final inspection in early June, aiming for an opening by the end of June. Chen Ching-chih, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Rapid Transit Systems, said the estimated daily ridership is 20,000. The department added that although the extension is only one station, it will connect the three major transportation hubs of Xinyi, Nangang, and Neihu via the future Eastern Ring Line, significantly reducing commute times and enhancing the city's competitiveness. The Public Transportation Office explained that today's inspection was divided into three groups: civil engineering, electrical/mechanical, and operations. The inspection involved document review, on-site surveys, testing, and simulation exercises. The results identified four items for improvement before the final inspection, including station and tunnel facilities and signage, station exterior plazas and transfer facilities, fire safety inspections, and verification of reported improvement items.