TAIPEI: The beleaguered Muzha-Neihu MRT line will remain in operation during the Deaflympics, notwithstanding its record of chronic technical failures, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin announced yesterday.

"As the system upgrades carried out by the Canadian contractor Bombardier over the past two weeks have borne fruit, the Muzha-Neihu metro line will remain in operation during the Deaflympics," Hau said at a news conference.

The mayor said the system has become more stable after a series of upgrades, including ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) network optimization, which will confine problems to a specific section of the line or to a single station when a signal fails. That's an improvement, since previous failures have grounded the whole system.

The upgrade also includes the installation of a second uninterrupted power system (UPS) at all of the line's 24 stations to ensure the system's operational stability, Hau said.

Moreover, the mayor said, the contractor has also adjusted the system and upgraded computer software programs to improve stability.

Technical glitches, however, have continued to plague the line over the past two days, even after it had suspended operations over the past two weekends (August 22-23 and August 29-30) to enable the contractor to fine-tune the system's software and conduct dynamic and static testing.

On Monday, a false alarm sounded at 6:53 am when a train passed Jiannan Road Station and again at 7:34 pm when a train reached Hsinhai Station. Moreover, the concrete base under the train tracks at Zhongshan Junior High School was damaged at 2:28 pm.

Yesterday, two minor technical problems occurred within an hour - a low tire pressure alarm rang at 7:56 am when a train arrived at Jiannan Road Station.

Another false alarm sounded at 8:56 am, indicating there was an unidentified object on the tracks when a northbound train stopped at Linguang Station. Neither mishap brought the entire system to a stop.

The metro line, which combines the Muzha section, was built by French contractor Matra Co in the 1990s and the new Neihu section built by Bombardier has experienced eight major emergency shutdowns since its inauguration on July 4.

Many of the problems have been attributed to problems in integrating the two automated lines' control and electrical systems.

The 21st Summer Deaflympics will take place in Taipei September 5-15. It will mark the first time that the city has ever hosted such a large-scale international sports extravaganza.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 09/02/2009 page2)