The government said yesterday that it expects its project to build the Light Rail Transit (LRT) East Line that will connect the Barrier Gate border checkpoint and the Taipa Ferry Terminal in Pac On to be completed in 2028.
The government also said that it plans to invite construction bids for the LRT East Line project later this quarter.
The local government also reaffirmed yesterday that only after the central government authorises the Macau government to lease a plot of land from Zhuhai can the LRT East Line be extended to the Qingmao checkpoint near the Barrier Gate
Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosário, and Public Works Bureau (DSOP) Director Lam Wai Hou made the remarks yesterday during a presentation session where they briefed lawmakers about the government’s draft urban development plan for the “Eastern District 2” project, and its latest design of the LRT East Line project. The 2.5-hour session was also attended by several other officials under Rosário’s portfolio. The presentation session, which was open to the media, was held in the Legislative Assembly (AL) building.
The government started a 60-day public consultation on its draft urban development plan for the Eastern District 2 project on October 7. The ongoing public consultation will end on December 5.
Eastern District 2, which covers the Zone A land reclamation area, is one of 18 “subareas for planning” listed by Macau’s urban master plan.
Rosário noted yesterday that the local government does not expect the central government’s authorisation for the leasehold to be formalised in the short term, because of which, he said, the local government has decided to continue pushing ahead first with the construction of the LRT East Line that will run to the Barrier Gate checkpoint only, while the project’s design will allow the extension to the Qingmao checkpoint after the central government has authorised the leasehold.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng announced last month that the central government had decided to allow the Macau government to lease a plot of land from Zhuhai so that Macau’s future LRT East Line can be extended to the Qingmao checkpoint. The V-shaped plot belonging to Zhuhai, which covers around 3,700 square metres, is located next to the Barrier Gate checkpoint.
During yesterday’s session, Lam presented details about the government’s latest design of its LRT East Line project, a sea-crossing section connecting the Barrier Gate land border checkpoint and the Taipa Ferry Terminal in Pac On via the Zone A and Zone E1 land reclamation areas.
According to Lam, the LRT East Line, without extension to the Qingmao checkpoint, will be 7.7 kilometres long and have six stations, including three stations in Zone A. All six stations will be built underground.
According to the government’s latest design presented by Lam, the first two stations of the LRT East Line, ES1 and ES2, will be built off the northern coast of the peninsula. The two stations will require land reclamation of the mudflats (aka tidal flats) off the coast.
According to Lam, the first station, ES1, will be built near the Barrier Gate checkpoint. With the central government’s authorisation of the Macau government’s lease of the V-shaped plot, according to Lam, the ES1 station could be built closer to the Barrier Gate checkpoint, in which case, he said, the walking distance between the ES1 station and the checkpoint would be shortened by 65 metres. In addition, according to Lam, the East Line could be extended to the nearby Qingmao checkpoint in Ilha Verde by travelling under the Barrier Gate checkpoint.
The second station, ES2, will be located near the Residência Macau residential estate.
According to Lam, the East Line will then run into Zone A, which will have three stations, namely ES3, ES4 and ES5, before crossing the sea through an undersea tunnel. The East Line will then enter Zone E1 where there will be one underground station, ES6, the sixth and last station of the LRT East Line. Afterwards, the track will gradually leave the underground segment and run on an elevated track before linking up with the Taipa Ferry Terminal station, the eastern terminus of the LRT Taipa section – Macau’s first LRT which came into service in December 2019.
Rosário reaffirmed yesterday that the government could only come up with a budget for the LRT East Line project after inviting construction bids for the project.
Flanked by senior officials under his portfolio such as Public Works Bureau (DSOP) Director Lam Wai Hou (second from left), Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosário (centre) speaks during yesterday’s presentation session for Legislative Assembly (AL) members about the government’s latest design of its Light Rail Transit (LRT) East Line project. – Photo: Tony Wong
