Councilor Accuses Hsinchu City of Negligence in Parking Lot Construction; City to Review Budget After 4 Failed Bids

(Hsinchu City, June 12 — Reporter Lu Gang-jun) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Hsinchu City Councilor Chen Chien-ming criticized the city government today for administrative negligence after the central government withdrew subsidies for the Yanping Road underground parking facility. In response, the Hsinchu City Government stated that the project failed to attract bids four times due to significant increases in material, labor, and excavation costs. The city has since reviewed the budget and is preparing for a new round of bidding.

During today's general questioning session at the Hsinchu City Council, Councilor Chen pointed out that the total cost of the Yanping Road underground parking project exceeds NT$365.5 million, with central government subsidies amounting to NT$207.14 million. Originally scheduled to begin construction by the end of 2025, the long-awaited project has now been canceled due to the city government's administrative inefficiency and sluggish execution.

Chen questioned whether the city administration had neglected municipal affairs, resulting in project delays and the revocation of central subsidies. He emphasized that residents suffer from traffic congestion during rainy days, struggle to find parking spaces, and endure long queues just to enter parking facilities.

The Hsinchu City Government's Transportation Bureau stated in a written response that the project was officially approved in March 2024. The city conducted public bidding last year and actively invited contractors to participate, but all four attempts failed due to lack of bids. The primary reason, according to the bureau, is the substantial rise in raw material, labor, and excavation costs in recent years.

The bureau added that the city has referenced the winning bid prices of similar parking projects in neighboring counties and cities to reassess the project budget. The adjustment has been completed, and the city is preparing to re-tender the project. The goal is to finalize the contract by the end of 2027 to meet local parking demands. (Edited by Li Xi-zhang) 1150612