Taipei, Oct. 11 (CNA) The green line of the Taoyuan mass rapid transit (MRT) system broke ground Friday, with its operations scheduled to start in 2026 aimed at linking the current Airport Metro, or purple line.
According to the Department of Rapid Transit Systems of the Taoyuan City government, the new line will be 27.8 kilometers long, with stops at 21 stations -- 10 underground and 11 elevated.
The budget for the line totals NT$98.2 billion (US$3.17 billion), with the city government paying NT$39.7 billion and the central government shouldering the remainder, according to the department.
The ground-breaking ceremony was presided over by Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan and attended by Premier Su Tseng-chang.
Su praised Cheng for his persistence in seeking funding from the central government for the MRT system, saying that without a convenient transportation connection, it will be hard for the city to develop further.
Taoyuan is one of Taiwan's six special municipalities.
The department said the new MRT line will run through Bade and Luzhu in a north-south network and connect two stations on the Airport MRT -- Kengkou (the A11 station on the Airport MRT) and Hengshan (Station A16) once construction is completed.
The green line has been officially named the "Aerotropolis Line" because it will pass through the county's ambitious airport city project and connect to Taipei through the Airport MRT line, which connects the Taipei Main Station with Taoyuan.
In addition to the connection with the Taoyuan MRT, which started operations in March 2017, the new line is also expected to link to the yet-to-be completed Sanying Line of the Taipei MRT to reach the Sanxia and Yingge districts of New Taipei.
The Sanying Line, which is now under construction, is scheduled to start operations in 2023, so Taoyuan green line is expected to connect the city with Taipei and New Taipei to broaden the living scope of residents in Taoyuan through streamlined transportation connectivity.
The city is home to many factories and industrial parks and has in recent years begun to develop into an exurb for Taipei workers seeking more affordable housing.
