Taipei Mayor Hau absolves President Ma on gondola

Democratic Progressive Party city councilors are demanding that Ma be called to account for deciding to get the popular cable car system built as it is on the weak bedrock.

When Typhoon Jiang Mi hit on last September 28, mudslides washed the base of its T-16 tower bare, suspending the cable car service since October 1.

Taipei’s top tourist attraction was designed at first to be built from the other side of a hill called Maokong or Cat’s Sky, near the Temple of Thousand Steps dedicated to Lu Dongbin, a Taoist immortal widely worshipped in Taiwan and southern China.

Ma changed the route against opposition on the part of at least 300 families resident in the neighborhood. One estate, directly below the weakened T-16 tower, was swamped by rock and mud in the wake of the tropical rainstorm. No casualties were reported, however.

“Whether somebody has to be called to account,” Mayor Hau said, “is a question that has to be asked after four Taipei colleges of engineers make their final assessment report on December 12.”

In an initial report made on Sunday, the engineers strongly recommended the tower be relocated to make Maokong Gondola safe. It would cost at least NT$200 million and two years to relocate the tower.

Hau said he would find out who should take responsibility for the route change.

“But,” Hau declared, “The mayor could not dictate the route. Ma Ying-jeou was not responsible.” The Taipei municipal government owns and runs Maokong Gondola.

For the time being, Mayor Hau went on, the weakened tower will be reinforced.

Municipal government engineers said reinforcement work will be completed by the end of April. Test runs will then be made, and if successful, the cable car service will be reopened in June.

Four DPP city councilors visited Cat’s Sky Hill, which commands a panoramic view of Taipei, for an on-the spot inspection in the morning.

They were briefed by Wu Chin-tang, a municipal government engineer who refused to assure them the tower would be relocated.

Wu was asked if Maokong Gondola could survive a strong earthquake, measured over six on the Richter scale. He was blasted for replying “Let’s see when the earthquake hits.”

“You’re just as irresponsible as Mayor Ma,” one DPP city councilman charged the government engineer.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

PrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email