Northern section of New Taipei Circular Line to be completed by 2031

Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) The northern section of New Taipei Metro's Circular Line is expected to be completed by 2031 and facilitate travel between Luzhou and Xindian districts, Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) said Tuesday.

By the time the northern section is completed, commuters will be able to travel between the two destinations in one uninterrupted trip, Hou said during an inspection tour of the section's train depot which is under construction.

According to a briefing presented by Taipei's Department of Rapid Transit Systems, which is supervising the project, construction of the Circular Line's northern section has reached 25.82 percent completion, ahead of schedule by 6.63 percent.

Based on information available on its website, the northern line will span 14.93 kilometers with 12 underground stations and one train depot.

The depot is being built underground, with its ground level to be restored as an eco-park with green spaces, the New Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems said.

The depot's facilities will include a maintenance workshop and control center, the New Taipei department said, adding that excavation depth will reach up to 22.32 meters, approximately the height of a seven-story building.

During the tour, Hou said once the northern section is completed, it will have additional trains to help reduce the waiting time for a train from 5 minutes to 3.5 minutes.

The Circular Line's western section was opened in 2020 and runs between Dapinglin Station in Xindian and New Taipei Industrial Park Station in Xinzhuang District. Both the eastern and southern sections are currently under construction.