Metro

Mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis blasts MTA for being insensitive to Asians

GOP mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis today blasted the MTA of being insensitive to the city’s Asian community by suspending No. 7 weekend train service during Lunar New Year festivities – the most significant Asian holiday of the year.

The 7 train runs from Times Square in Manhattan to Flushing in Queens, home of the city’s largest ethnic Chinese and Korean communities. The track work suspends service in Manhattan.

“The MTA has no respect for the Asian people. It’s terrible,” Catsimatides said.

The billionaire supermarket mogul denied that his criticism was also a slam at former MTA chairman and rival GOP mayoral candidate Joe Lhota, who stepped down as transit honcho last month after a year at the helm.

Flushing’s Lunar Parade will be held on Saturday, Feb. 16. But other festivities have already begun.

The MTA is encouraging riders to take the N train to Queensboro Plaza to connect to the 7 train in Queens. Or take the E, F or R to Roosevelt Avenue and transfer to the 7 from there.

The MTA plans to avoid suspending 7 service during the 2014 Lunar New Year festivities, an MTA spokesman said. Track work is necessary to upgrade the signal system.