Macau (MNA) – There is still no ‘particular date’ slated for the beginning of operations of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, despite reported comments by the head of the MTR Macau operations, Weller Chan, that the Taipa metro line would undertake experimental operations in June 2019.
The Office for Transport Infrastructure (GIT) clarified in a statement on Saturday evening that Mr. Chan’s was a ‘preliminary assessment’ made by the manager of the company in charge of operations and maintenance of the local LRT system, ‘according to its own work planning.’
The GIT added that the government still needs to ‘fully consider’ elements such as construction work, system assemblage, and the preparation of operations, before it can announce a date for the beginning of operations of the LRT.
The latest statement comes after a GIT representative recently stated during a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly (AL), that the Office was maintaining its deadline for the conclusion of the Taipa LRT in 2019 – although it did not clarify when the government-owned company which will manage the line will be created.
MTR Corporation Ltd., the Hong Kong rail transport operator, was awarded a MOP5.88 billion (US$727.68 million) contract in April to oversee the operations and maintenance of the Macau LRT for a period of five years.
The Hong Kong state-owned company was recently involved in a construction scandal for possible faulty works conducted by the company at the HK$97.1 billion Hong Kong Sha Tin-Central project in the neighbouring city.
