Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosario said Monday that the project to construct the Light Rail Transit (LRT) section connecting Taipa and Barra on the peninsula – via Sai Van Bridge – is budgeted at 4.5 billion patacas (US$ 562 million).
This project includes the construction of the section, the Barra LRT station project, the setting-up of the system, and the rolling stock, according to Rosario.
The policy secretary also said that the Taipa-Barra LRT section project was expected to come into service in 2024.
Rosario made the remarks while speaking to reporters after attending a closed-door meeting of the legislature’s 3rd Standing Committee, which is reviewing, article-by-article, a government-initiated bill regulating the future LRT operation.
The government has repeatedly reaffirmed that the LRT Taipa section is scheduled to be operational next year.
The Taipa section, which includes Cotai, is 9.3 kilometres long and will have 11 stations.
The government has also pledged that the total cost of the Taipa LRT section, including the construction, the rolling stock and the setting-up of the system, will not exceed the previously budgeted amount of 11 billion patacas.
Construction of the Barra LRT station – which is on the southernmost tip of the peninsula – got off the ground earlier this year. “Barra” is Portuguese for “harbour entrance”.
The government does not have a schedule as to when its LRT peninsula section project will get off the ground, except the Barra (Ma Kok) LRT station.
Speaking to reporters, Rosario said that he doesn’t expect the budget of the Taipa-peninsula LRT section project to exceed 4.5 billion patacas.
The policy secretary also said that the government estimates that Taipa-Barra project will be completed in 2024 – an estimation that he described as “conservative”, adding that the project may be completed in 2023 if the construction tasks – including all the preparatory tasks before the construction – went on smoothly.
Rosario also said that the government was still carrying out preparatory tasks for the establishment of a government-owned company tasked with the future operation of the city’s LRT system.
Rosario also said the government aimed to invite bids for the construction of the Seac Pai Van LRT spur line early next year.
(Photo by Thomas Lok)
