New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu inspected the progress of MRT Circular Line yesterday at the Dapinglin station. When asked about how he plans to eliminate the huge budget deficit of the transportation project, Chu replied that he will tackle the issue by setting up the MRT development fund in the future.

On his fifth day in office, New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu visited Dapinglin Station to hear a progress report on the construction of the MRT's Circular Line.

One day earlier, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office raided the offices of five contractors believed to be responsible for shoddy road construction at 36 different locations around New Taipei City.

Chu said that his office is cooperating fully with prosecutors, and that his government will also conduct its own investigation.

While at Dapinglin Station, an area resident complained to Chu about construction noise, and Chu asked the public for their under

When the Circular Line is completed, travel time between New Taipei City Hall and Dapinglin will be more than halved from 45 minutes to 20 minutes.

In regards to his proposed six new MRT lines, which would cost an estimated 380 billion NT, and the city government's existing 30 billion NT debt, Chu said that he plans to establish an MRT development fund in the future.

The Circular Line is the first of the six new lines, and will connect the Xindian, Zhonghe, and Bannan Lines when completed.