Residents of Greater Tainan yesterday protested at the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) in Taipei against an underground railway project they said would lead to the loss of about 400 households and called on the government re-evaluate the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA).
On Tuesday afternoon the same group of people gathered in front of the offices of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and later marched to the Presidential Office and the legislature.
During the half-day protest in Taipei, the group’s spokesperson, Chen Chih-hsiao (陳致曉), said the planning for the underground railway project had been going on for more than a decade and that the route was originally planned to be built underneath the current railway line.
However, the Executive Yuan approved a renewed plan in 2009 to move the project east, which meant taking 5.1 hectares of private land, Chen said, adding that the plan would result in the loss of about 400 households from the neighborhood.
The association said it doubts the ministry’s reasons, which include protecting the city’s historic railway station and cost reductions. Many residents suspect the change is so that the government can benefit by developing the land.
Chen said that some people believe the residents are only protesting because they were not offered the compensation they demanded.
“In fact, we never discussed monetary compensation — our only demand is to stop the project from moving eastwards,” Chen said
Chen said the railway project should be limited to its original plan to reduce the amount of land that is being expropriated and that the economic and emotional impacts on the local residents, as well as the impact the project will have on the environment, should also be taken into consideration.
The association said the land expropriation in the new project plan is unnecessary and lacks legitimacy because it is forcing residents to sacrifice their homes.
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