《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》Impact of Dome on MRT line debated

COLLATERAL DAMAGE? Officials said no studies had been done to determine the effect of a halt in construction, and that it might cause the Dome to collapse

By Kuo Yi, Liang Pei-chi and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writer

請繼續往下閱讀...

Experts, city government officials, city councilors and civic organizations were at odds over whether the decision to halt construction of the Taipei Dome would affect the MRT’s Bannan Line.

Farglory Land Development Co （遠雄建設）, which is in charge of the project, yesterday complied with the city government’s order to suspend work, giving rise to concern over the impact this might have on the safety of the underground rail line.

Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems Commissioner Chou Li-liang （周禮良） said that he was not consulted over the city government’s decision to halt the construction.

However, he said that the move was an effective method.

The department had attempted to reach an agreement with Farglory to complete foundation work along Zhongxiao E Road by June 10, but Farglory said the work would be delayed until August, citing orders that had “come from above,” Chou said.

Farglory had announced that it would complete the foundation layout by June 10, before the order to discontinue work came through, Chou said.

City councilors said during a question-and-answer session with Chou at the city council that the sudden about-face in city policy might have long-term effects on the safety of the Bannan Line.

Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） Taipei City Councilor Tai Hsi-chin （戴錫欽） said that city councilors agreed that threatening to suspend construction to force Farglory’s hand was a good move, but added that to act on the threat had disregarded the safety of residents.

KMT City Councilor Lee Hsin （李新） said that Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s （柯文哲） unilateral decision on the matter “smacked of politicking” and was not in line with his proposal to “let experts handle problems that require their expertise.”

KMT City Councilor Wang Hsin-yi （王欣儀） asked why the department failed to provide a safety assessment ahead of the city government’s decision to order the halt.

Chou said that the department had not received a security assessment for the MRT line in the event of a halt to construction.

National Taipei University of Technology Department of Civil Engineering head Chen Shong-loong （陳水龍） said that as the project used a top-down construction method, stopping construction before the foundation level was completed ran the risk of the building’s collapse.

Taiwan Professional Civil Engineers Association chairman James Yu （余烈） advised against the suspension in construction, saying that rain or seismic activity would increase the risk of nearby MRT tunnels being warped.

The only way to mitigate such risks would be an executive order from the city government for Farglory to fill up the bottom two levels, Yu told reporters.

Yu said he would urge the public to launch a boycott on riding the Bannan Line if the city government did not take appropriate action.

The call was echoed by requests from civic organizations, including the Taiwan Tree Protection Alliance and the Songshan Tobacco Plant Tree Protection Organization.

While the city government has done more than the previous city administration to address problems associated with the Dome, it should heed experts’ warnings and fill in the two bottom levels of the site, members of the groups told a news conference.（Additional reporting by CNA）

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES