Nangang District is set to become the eastern gateway of Taipei under a multiyear development plan recently unveiled by the city’s Department of Urban Development.
The 440-hectare project involves transforming the area into a key business center by 2050. A central plank in the undertaking is upgrading Nangang Station—the transfer point for Taiwan Railways Administration and Taipei Metro lines—into a major transportation hub.
“When Taiwan High Speed Rail Nangang extension is completed later this year, the station will serve 68,000 travelers per day,” Taipei Deputy Mayor Lin Chin-rong said Feb. 27.
“Enhanced transportation services will spur development of a corridor for biotechnology, culture and creativity, meetings and exhibitions, software and related services in Nangang, as well as ease congestion at Taipei Main Station.”
According to Lin, the government has a number of associated undertakings in the pipeline in readiness for the change.
“We have earmarked NT$25 billion [US$794 million] for building 10,000 residential units over eight years to meet additional housing needs. This is expected to help create 18,000 new jobs for locals and generate annual output of NT$393 billion for the software and biotech sectors.”
Nangang is fast rising as an industrial and innovation center. Since 2001, the government has invested more than NT$100 billion in major infrastructure projects, including National Biotech Research Park, Software Park, Taipei Pop Music Center and Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall. (SFC-JSM)
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