Taipei: The New Taipei Metro's Sanyin Line and the eastern extension of the Taipei Metro's Tamsui-Xinyi Line, commonly known as the Red Line, are set to commence operations in June 2026, as announced by the National Development Council (NDC) on Thursday. The Red Line, which currently concludes at Xiangshan, will be extended by 1.4 kilometers to a new eastern terminal at Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station. Meanwhile, the Sanyin Line will connect New Taipei's Tucheng and Yingge areas via the Sanxia District.

According to Focus Taiwan, these updates were shared during an NDC council meeting that reviewed the progress on public construction projects slated for 2026. Taiwan's annual public infrastructure budget remains consistent at NT$800 billion (US$25.03 billion), with NT$97.3 billion already implemented by the end of February, as reported by the council.

In addition to the metro projects, other significant transportation initiatives are advancing. The Danjiang Bridge is scheduled to open in May, while the northern section of the Taoyuan Metro Green Line and the first phase of the Tainan Railway Underground Project are expected to begin operations by the end of the year.

In the energy sector, the NDC confirmed that new gas-fired units at the Taichung and Hsinta power plants, along with the second phase of offshore wind projects, are anticipated to be connected to the grid or dispatched between March and November.

Cultural and public facility projects are also on track. The Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts and the Southern Branch of the National Central Library are expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Furthermore, a marine passenger center in Kinmen will commence operations in April, with new cruise terminals in Penghu and Taitung set to open in September.

The NDC highlighted progress on the Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Capital Region Golden Corridor" initiative, aimed at strengthening the industrial advantages of Taipei and New Taipei, while promoting development in Keelung and Yilan. The council emphasized that the project is expected to drive regional revitalization through enhanced transportation infrastructure and urged for closer coordination between central and local governments to facilitate related developments.

Additionally, the construction of standard factory buildings in Phase 3 of the Yilan Science Park has received approval and is projected to create 114,000 jobs, as noted by the NDC.