GTX B Line Takes a Breather, Green Light for Construction Start in First Half of Next Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Wanyong] The government is gradually revealing the operators for the GTX B Line project, which is aimed to begin construction in the first half of next year.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Rail Network Authority on the 2nd, the Daewoo Construction consortium was selected as the preferred negotiator for the private section of the GTX B Line in January, and on the 28th of last month, the KCC Construction consortium was selected as the preferred negotiator for the 4th section of the publicly funded segment.

The publicly funded sections 1 to 3, which experienced multiple failures due to construction costs and difficulty, are currently under separate contracts for design and construction, with design work underway.

The Yushin consortium was selected as the detailed design contractor for section 1, the Seohyeon Engineering Group consortium for section 2, and the Dongmyung Engineering Group Comprehensive Architecture Office consortium for section 3.

The selection of station operators for the publicly funded sections of the GTX B Line is also accelerating. A total of four stations (Yongsan Station, Seoul Station, Cheongnyangni Station, and Sangbong Station) are planned to be built on the B Line’s publicly funded section, and announcements for the selection of basic station designers for three of these stations, excluding Cheongnyangni Station, are scheduled for this month.

Cheongnyangni Station is a shared station used by both the B Line and C Line, and according to the Ministry of Land’s policy, the C Line operator, Hyundai Construction consortium, will be responsible for the station’s design and construction.

The Rail Network Authority plans to start design work by early April at the latest, after negotiating the conditions once the designers are selected. The design period is one year, expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of next year. After the basic design is completed, detailed design and construction will follow according to the Rail Network Authority’s schedule.

A Rail Network Authority official explained, “In line with the planned start of track construction in the first half of next year, the station construction work is also being expedited,” adding, “We will complete station construction before track opening to ensure no inconvenience for B Line users.”

Meanwhile, the GTX B Line is a railway stretching 82.7 km from Incheon National University Station in Incheon to Maseok in Namyangju. The 62.8 km section from Incheon National University Station to Yongsan and from Sangbong to Maseok is a private project, while the 19.9 km section from Seoul Yongsan Station to Sangbong is publicly funded. Construction is planned to start in the first half of 2024, with completion targeted for 2030.