Lee Ssu-hsuan proposes Shulin railway undergrounding; Su Chiao-hui urges responsible policy proposals

A proposal by KMT New Taipei mayoral candidate Lee Ssu-hsuan to underground the Shulin railway yard has drawn sharp criticism from his DPP opponent, Su Chiao-hui. Lee's plan, which aims to move the extensive railway operations underground, faces significant practical hurdles.

“

Shulin dispatch yard to be entirely undergrounded is very difficult, it is impossible to happen, and it will affect the trains of the whole island. I hope candidates can be a little more responsible when making policy proposals.

Su, who represents the Shulin district as a legislator, described the proposal as "very difficult" and "impossible to happen." She argued that the Shulin yard is the primary railway dispatch center for northern Taiwan, handling operations for the entire eastern line. Undergrounding such a critical hub, she explained, would disrupt train traffic across the country.

“

Such a large dispatch yard to be entirely undergrounded is very difficult. And northern Taiwan cannot be without a dispatch yard for many years, this is impossible to happen, because it will affect the passage of trains throughout the island.

Furthermore, Su highlighted the immense challenges faced by previous administrations, including those led by current Mayor Hou Yu-ih and former Mayor Eric Chu. These difficulties stem from the need to relocate the massive dispatch yard and the potential displacement of hundreds of households due to the construction of temporary tracks and infrastructure. Su urged candidates to be more responsible when presenting policy ideas, suggesting that simply proposing a concept without a clear solution for central government resolution is not ideal.

“

Moreover, if the railway is to be completely undergrounded, there is another major problem: hundreds of residential households must be relocated.