Construction work on western section of Orange Line to start next year
Preparatory work will start in the middle of November
The construction of the much-delayed western section of the Orange Line will begin early next year, starting with five train stations out of the total of 11, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) said on Friday.
Contractor Bangkok Expressways and Metro Plc (BEM) will start removing existing infrastructure to prepare for the construction of Bang Khunnon, Siriraj, Democracy Monument, Yommarat, and Pratu Nam stations from November 15, Kittikorn Tanpao, MRTA deputy governor for engineering and construction, said.
During this process, the far left traffic lane running past these stations will be closed, except for Siriraj Station, where all traffic lanes will remain open as usual, he said.
After rearranging the flow of traffic, the BEM will deploy machines and equipment at the construction areas and start the work early next year, he added.
Under the contract between the MRTA and BEM, construction of the western section must be completed in six years. However, the BEM will try to open the line before the schedule in 2030, Songwut Siri-Udomlert, a representative of BEM, said.
He said the company had discussed with the Fine Arts Department and Rattanakosin Island Committee regarding the construction in the Old Town area to minimise the impact on historical sites on the Rattanakosin Island, located in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district.
“The BEM plans to design stations in this area to complement the historical importance of Bangkok’s Old Town, and will also display any artifacts we unearth during the construction of the Orange Line at these stations,” he said.
The 35.9-kilometre MRT Orange Line is divided into eastern and western sections. The eastern section from the Thai Cultural Centre to Minburi is 22.5km long with 10 underground stations and seven elevated stations. Construction has been completed.
However, the 13.4km western section with 11 underground stations, which stretches from the Thailand Cultural Centre to Bang Khunnon, has been held up due to several lawsuits filed by the Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC), another bidder of the project, after the MRTA cancelled the first bidding and amended the terms of reference (TOR).
In June, the Supreme Administrative Court ruled in favour of the MRTA, saying it had the right to cancel the first bidding and amend the TOR in public interest.
