The cabinet has approved the 101-billion-baht southern extension of the Purple Line, with service scheduled to begin in seven years.
Bids for the construction of the 23.6km Tao Pun-Rat Burana section, part of the Kanchanaphisek Ring Road, will likely be held in October this year, said Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith on Tuesday.
“We are confident it will be popular because it links inner Bangkok with nearby provinces. The ridership is projected at 477,098 a day,” he said.
With loans as the main source of funds, the economic internal rate of return of the project is 12.95% while the financial internal rate of return is 4.59%.
The heavy rail line comprises 12.6km underground and 11km elevated. It will have 17 stations, 10 of which are underground, and two park-and-ride areas for 3,000 cars in total in Bang Pakok and Rat Burana.
The southern Purple Line will connect the Blue Line at Tao Pun and Wang Burapa stations; the Orange Line at the Democracy Monument station on Ratchadamnoen Avenue; and the Green Line at Wong Wian Yai station.
Mr Arkhom said the ministry was planning to propose to the cabinet another four projects. They are the 16.4km western Orange Line (Cultural Centre-Taling Chan) costing 121 billion baht; the 8km extension of the Blue Line (Bang Khae-Phutthamonthon Sai 4), costing 21.1 billion baht; the extension of the southern Green Line (Samut Prakan-Bang Pu) costing 13.7 billion baht; and the extension of the northern Green Line (Ku Khot-Lam Luk Ka) costing 12 billion baht.