A plot of land measuring at least 3,000 square meters next to the Border Gate and owned by the mainland will be leased to Macau to facilitate the connection of its city railway to the Qingmao Border Checkpoint.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng announced the news at a press conference over the weekend.
Originally, the city’s Light Rapid Transit’s (LRT) East Line was to terminate at the Border Gate Checkpoint. However, the government suddenly announced the railway will be extended to Qingmao in Ilha Verde.
According to a source that cited local newspaper Macao Daily’s report dated April 21, 2013, an official at the then Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) had first revealed that studies would be conducted to lengthen the LRT to Ilha Verde.
Focus had been on the LRT’s West Line, which would connect Taipa with Barra through the Sai Van Bridge. Track assignments in the tube of the bridge were also altered, despite objections from the bridge’s head designer, who cited weight distribution as a key reason.
In the past couple of years, the focus has been on the East Line of the railway, which would connect Taipa with the New Urban Zone A through the fourth Macau-Taipa bridge now under construction.
The proposed extension will connect Zone A with Ilha Verde through the Border Gate.
While explaining the project, Ho said the land lease is essential to connecting the railway to both the Border Gate and Qingmao. As Beijing has already given a green light to the land lease, a tender process will be opened near the end of the year. The design of the railway will also be altered to align with the proposal.
The head of government, in addition, hinted that the future LRT Qingmao Station will be located on a currently vacant plot of land between the border building and Toi-S’an.
Alterations and land cleaning and reclamation will be necessary to realize the LRT East Line. The design and routing of the line will be put to focus-group consultation and presented at the parliament when it resumes.
The Macau International Airport (MIA), meanwhile, will need to be expanded to suit international travel needs, Ho added.
In fact, before the Covid-19 pandemic, the MIA Company Limited had revealed its plans to expand the facility. A video of computer renderings titled Promotional Video of “Macau International Airport Master Plan” – which depicts the envisioned design of the airport expansion – has been posted on YouTube.
Ho announced that the airport runway needs to be lengthened and the tarmac expanded, which was also included in the promotional video on YouTube.
