Control Yuan to probe project extending high speed rail to Yilan

Taipei, July 16 (CNA) Control Yuan members said Wednesday they have requested an investigation into a project to extend the high speed rail to Yilan County, following public and media concerns over the project's policymaking process and level of citizen participation.

In a news statement, Control Yuan members Lin Sheng-fong (林盛豐), Su Li-chiung (蘇麗瓊) and Shih Chin-fang (施錦芳) said the investigation was deserved because the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Railway Bureau abruptly proposed the project in 2019, replacing a plan to shorten rail travel between Taipei and eastern Taiwan that had been under discussion for over a decade.

The members of Taiwan's top government watchdog said questions were raised about whether the policy change was subject to comprehensive and transparent procedures, including a feasibility study, a thorough comparative analysis, and a review process required for major public infrastructure projects according to relevant regulations.

Moreover, the case was submitted for environmental impact assessment (EIA) before a comprehensive planning report was approved by the Cabinet. Questions were also raised as to whether it overestimated the benefits and underestimated related costs, with key operators excluded from the planning process, the ombudspersons said.

The statement said that the NT$300 billion (US$10.2 billion) project entered the second-stage EIA review after holding only three public hearings, warranting a probe into the possibility of insufficient public participation.

Furthermore, the project requires 420 hectares of land for the railway station, which is more than double the 190 hectares detailed in the original plan.

The Yilan County government already announced a tender for the land in June 2025, raising concerns about whether proper professional planning was followed and whether urban development in Yilan was analyzed in accordance with relevant regulations.

The Control Yuan members said they respected the professionalism of the EIA review, but the legality of the project is important in resolving different opinions and ensuring smooth implementation.

The preliminary review of the project's second-stage EIA was passed on July 9, with the reviewers expressing concerns over the inconsistency of travel times in different stages of the report and urging continued communication with stakeholders.