On December 24, at the Muzha Zoo parking lot, DORTS hosted the groundbreaking ceremony for Circular line east section contract CF763. Mayor Chiang Wan-an presided over the ceremony and guests from all walks of life were invited to burn incense and pray for a safe start to the project. DORTS stated that the east section will be the final piece of the puzzle for the Circular line, and the commencement of construction symbolizes that the Taipei MRT Circular line has reached a new milestone.
In his speech, Mayor Chiang stated that contract CF763 is the first civil engineering contract commenced on the east section. Running south from Songren Rd. in the Xinyi District, it passes through the Muzhi Mountain, Wanfang Interchange, and the Jingmei River and then connects with the Circular line south section at Taipei Zoo Station Y01 on Section 2, Xinguang Rd. As a journey through mountains and peaks, the difficulty of construction is considerably high. In addition, Mayor Chiang pointed out that this section contract is of great significance and thanked DORTS for fulfilling the promise to enable construction on the east section to commence within two years from the time it was approved by the central government.
DORTS Second District Project Office (2nd DPO) stated that with a total length of 13.25km, the east section will be built underground and it includes ten underground stations and an underground depot. The scope of contract CF763 encompasses a total length of 3,157 meters. Because the construction area mainly consists of the shield tunnel working shaft and the Muzhi Mountain ventilation shaft which is located in front of the zoo on Section 2, Xinguang Rd., DORTS conducted public briefings and inspections prior to construction. Furthermore, in accordance with the comprehensive traffic maintenance plan, DORTS has communicated with local residents to minimize impacts on traffic.
Mayor Chiang stated that the Taipei MRT Circular line facilitates opportunities to put TOD into practice in Taipei City and New Taipei City, which will not only promote the urban renewal but also enable Taiwan to become another model for the world. He also expressed his gratitude towards the construction company and DORTS for their efforts along with the central government and legislators for their support of planning revisions of MRT routes in Taipei City. Mayor Chiang specially pointed out that with construction of the following six lines underway: Xinyi eastern extension, Wanda line Phase I, Wanda line Phase II, Circular line south section, Circular line north section, and Circular line east section, Taipei is embarking on the "Taipei MRT 6 Lines Commencement Plan 2.0." He also kindly asked the people living along the route for their understanding and tolerance for inconveniences and impacts caused during the construction period.
DORTS stated that the route of Circular line east section traverses the Neihu, Songshan, Xinyi, and Wenshan administrative districts and facilitates transfers with the Wenhu line, the Songshan-Xindian line, the Bannan line, and the Tamsui-Xinyi line; furthermore, it connects with the approved Circular line north & south section along with Circular line Phase I, which is already open to the public. In the future it will effectively improve the accessibility and mobility of the MRT system while dramatically reducing travel times.
DORTS further elaborated that under the vision of “Excellent Construction, Efficient MRT, and Easy Travel in Taipei,” they are continually upgrading the following components of the MRT: joint development, smart railways, net zero carbon emissions, and refined construction methods while striving for an improved Taipei MRT system. DORTS emphasized that it has made achievements in public art, MRT construction, and sustainability this year, and all colleagues will continue to work diligently to create more outstanding results.
In addition to the 58.1km of construction on the six aforementioned lines, for the sake of the development vision of Taipei Metropolitan Area in the next 30 years, DORTS has already drafted the budget for next year (2025). On the achievements of the existing route network, DORTS is conducting a review and assessment of the overall route network while continuing to develop potential routes and improve the convenience of MRT green transportation in order to create a low-carbon and livable Taipei City.
