Monorail projects face further delays due to Covid
The first two monorail transit projects, known as Pink and Yellow lines, will be further delayed until next year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, their operator said on Thursday.
Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) will request the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand to extend the deadline for construction of the Yellow Line and Pink Line for another 677 days, BTSC chief executive Surapong Laoha-unya said.
Both projects were originally scheduled to start partial operation around the middle of this year.
However, the persistent Covid-19 situation has prevented imports of certain necessary construction materials from overseas, according to the CEO of BTSC.
“The company will expedite the construction so that the project can be operational within this year, or no later than 2023, to help reduce the interest cost burden,” he said.
The 34.5-kilometre Pink Line runs from Khae Rai area in Nonthaburi province to Min Buri district in Bangkok.
The Yellow Line is 30.4 kilometres long and runs from Lat Phrao district in Bangkok to Samrong district in Samut Prakan province.
As of January, the Pink Line project was 85 per cent complete, while the Yellow Line construction was 90 per cent ready.