The Chiayi light rail project has been stuck without progress for 20 months, with central and local authorities blaming each other — bad news for Chiayi City residents hoping for new transport infrastructure.

• Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai said the Chiayi City Government has still not returned the corrected documents on "cost sharing" and "cross-county coordination" to the central government.
• The city government has publicly said it has been pushing for the light rail for 20 years, but the formal application was submitted in September 2022.
• The Ministry of Transportation and Communications approved the subsidy within three months of receiving the application, allowing the local government to carry out a feasibility study; it is the subsequent procedures that have stalled.
• The route crosses both Chiayi County and Chiayi City, and the division of responsibilities must first be settled locally before the central government can move forward.
• The war of words took place at a Democratic Progressive Party policy briefing, with the Chiayi City mayoral race in full swing.

Outlook: If the current city government does not complete the required procedures, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications plans to wait until after the election and discuss the case with the new mayor.