New Taipei City seeks central funds after MRT budget cut

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih has formally requested that the central government prioritize additional funding for the city's mass transit projects after central subsidies for three MRT lines were reduced by 5.41 billion TWD.

According to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, while the overall budget for local mass transit construction is set to increase significantly next year, funding for projects in cities governed by the Kuomintang, such as New Taipei, Taoyuan, and Taichung, has faced cuts. Hou noted that the city has already seen a 9 billion TWD reduction in central MRT funding this year, with an additional 5.41 billion TWD cut for next year.

Mayor Hou emphasized that these projects are critical for the development of New Taipei City and the integration of the Greater Taipei metropolitan transportation network. He called on local representatives and citizens to work across party lines to secure the necessary funds to ensure construction continues as planned.