Service restored between Zhonghe, Dapinglin on MRT Circular Line

Taipei, April 7 (CNA) Train service between Zhonghe and Dapinglin stations on the New Taipei Metro's Circular (Yellow) Line was restored Sunday after the entire line was closed for safety checks following Taiwan's April 3 earthquake, the New Taipei City Government said.

In a statement, the city said service between the stations resumed at 11 a.m. following testing and inspections on repairs at Jing'an Station, where a train that derailed during the earthquake caused damage to the track bed and station platform.

For the time being, trains in the newly reopened section will operate at ten-minute intervals, and free shuttle bus services will continue to be offered along the entirety of the Circular Line route, the city government said.

The 7.2 magnitude quake that struck just before 8 a.m. on April 3 caused damage that prompted a precautionary closing of the Circular Line, the most serious of which involved box girders that were thrown out of alignment between Banxin and Zhongyuan stations.

Services between Banqiao and New Taipei Industrial Park stations on the line were allowed to resume on the afternoon of April 3, meaning that with the reopening of the Zhonghe-Dapinglin section on Sunday, only a portion of the MRT line between Banqiao and Zhonghe stations remains closed.

Repairs on the Banqiao-Zhonghe section, however, are expected to be "conducted over the long term," due to the extent of the damage sustained, the city government has said.