Bangkok Governor Chadchart will ask MRTA to carry out the Silver Line and Grey Line electric train projects
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Wednesday he would ask the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) to take over two electric train projects.
Chadchart said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) decided on Wednesday not to undertake the Silver Line and Grey Line projects on its own but would ask the MRTA to build the lines and operate services.
Chadchart was speaking to reporters at noon after a meeting with BMA executives at Din Daeng City Hall to discuss the BMA’s electric train projects.
He said the current team of BMA executives feel the city administration has no expertise to carry out the projects so it would be better to hand them over to the MRTA.
“We want to have new electric train lines but it would benefit the public more if the MRTA handles them. The BMA is yet to hold talks with the MRTA. It’s fine if the MRTA carries out these projects so people can benefit the most,” the governor said.
“The MRTA has more expertise in carrying out electric train projects while the BMA has no expertise at all. So far, the BMA has hired a private firm to run its electric train projects and the city administration has several other projects that need to be carried out, such as public health projects and early child development schools.”
He said the Silver Line would be extended to areas outside Bangkok while the Grey Line would interconnect several other MRTA lines, such as the Pink Line, Yellow Line, Orange Line and Airport Rail Link.
If the BMA handles the two new lines, there would be repetitive entry fees at interconnection points, but if the MRTA undertakes the projects, the state firm would be able to develop an integrated payment system, Chadchart pointed out.
The BMA owes the Bangkok Mass Transit System 37.14 billion baht as of March this year for operation, maintenance and electrical and mechanical installations of Green Line extensions.
The Grey Line project will run for a distance of 16.3 kilometres, linking Soi Watcharpol to Soi Thong Lor via 15 stations. The initial budget was estimated at 27.5 billion baht.
The Silver Line, from Bang Na Intersection to Suvarnabhumi airport, will run for 19.7km and have 14 stations.
Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/40021412
