TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's ambitious high-speed rail extension project faces mounting scrutiny as a former transportation minister highlighted procedural concerns during Monday's (May 6) initial environmental review. The Ministry of Environment (MOENV, 環境部), Taiwan's environmental protection agency, convened its first assessment meeting for the proposed 60.6-kilometer track connecting Taipei's Nangang Station (南港站) to Yilan County, a popular tourist destination on Taiwan's northeastern coast.
Former Transportation Minister Ho Chen Tan (賀陳旦) sharply criticized the project's approval process, arguing that the substantial technical and financial differences between conventional railways and high-speed systems warrant treating this as an entirely new proposal rather than a simple alternative. Meanwhile, Yilan's agricultural community has raised alarms about potential consequences of the elevated tracks, fearing shadows cast by the infrastructure could impede crop development and disrupt established farming communities. Despite these concerns, Acting Yilan County Magistrate Lin Mao-sheng (林茂盛) has thrown his weight behind the project, claiming it addresses longstanding demands from residents for faster transportation options.
The Railway Bureau (鐵道局), Taiwan's national railway development agency, defended the project by emphasizing that the environmental review represents a crucial step in evaluating potential impacts and developing mitigation strategies. Officials noted that final approval rests with the Executive Yuan (行政院), Taiwan's cabinet, which must sign off on the comprehensive planning report. The bureau highlighted its track record in developing Western Taiwan's high-speed rail system, citing more than four years of meticulous research and planning. Responding to criticism about rushed planning, officials pointed to the Executive Yuan's March approval of a revised research approach, rejecting allegations of a hastily completed four-month study.