Taipei: The Executive Yuan has given the green light to a comprehensive five-year plan aimed at fortifying eight railway bridges to better withstand the impacts of earthquakes and floods. The plan, introduced by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), was approved during a Cabinet meeting held on Thursday.
According to Focus Taiwan, the MOTC highlighted the urgency of the project, citing the increasing frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change. Such events, including torrential rains, floods, and landslides, alongside typhoons and earthquakes, have posed significant threats to railway safety. The MOTC emphasized that some existing bridges fail to meet the current flood control regulations and require immediate improvements.
The ambitious project, set to run from 2025 to 2029, has been allocated a budget of NT$5.669 billion (US$172.94 million). The ministry aims to complete the planning phase of this initiative by the end of the year.
Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee conveyed Premier Cho Jung-tai's remarks, who stressed the necessity for Taiwan Railway Co. to enhance bridge resilience to ensure the safety and reliability of train services. Premier Cho underscored safety as the utmost priority and called on the MOTC to work collaboratively with river and slope management agencies as well as local governments to ensure that all operations adhere to safety standards and that construction projects are executed on time and to the expected quality.
Furthermore, Premier Cho directed Taiwan Railway to address the damages inflicted by Typhoon Gaemi in July 2024, specifically urging a review and adjustment of flood prevention strategies for the Dahukou River Bridge in Yunlin County and the Lanyang River Bridge in Yilan County. He also noted that an additional 171 bridges need reinforcement to align with the latest safety standards.