SRT pins hope on its Red Line

BANGKOK, May 25 (TNA) -- The State Railway of Thailand hopes that its Red Line project set for inauguration in two years will help relieve its loss-ridden operations. While inspecting the construction of the Red Line from Bang Sue to Rangsit, acting SRT governor Worawut Mala said that its construction would be completed within June 2020. Then the system would be tested and commence its service within October the same year, or by the end of the year at the latest. He admitted that the production of 130 train carriages for the Red Line was being delayed but he hoped the work could be accelerated and the SRT could accept the trains on schedule late next year. According to him, the SRT plans to upgrade SRT Electric Train Co, its subsidiary that operates the Airport Rail Link, to also operate the Red Line. The SRT will need a registered capital of 3 billion baht and 600 workers for Red Line operation. Mr Worawut said the Red Line should initially serve 50,000 passengers a day while the breakeven traffic stood at 70,000-80,000 passengers per day. The SRT set its fares at 14-45 baht, or 32-34 baht per passenger on average. The Red Line should start to pose a profit in its 7th year of service when its traffic is estimated at 120,000 passengers a day, he said. (TNA)