Removal of Existing Asbestos Soundproof Wall, Creation of 680m Barrier-Free Walkway... Planting 92 Large Trees and Over 20,000 Small Trees
The asbestos soundproof wall that caused inconvenience and suffering to residents for over 30 years has been removed, and in its place, a 680-meter barrier-free walking trail filled with flowers and trees has been established.
Dobong-gu (Mayor Oh Eon-seok) held an opening ceremony for the Gyeongwon Line buffer green walking trail in front of Exit 2 of Nokcheon Station on November 13.
About 200 people, including Mayor Oh Eon-seok of Dobong-gu, local resident organizations, and residents, attended the opening ceremony. Residents welcomed the opening, saying, "This is the moment when the long-standing wish of the residents has been resolved."
This area is a boundary zone between apartments near the Nokcheon Station?Changdong Station section and the Gyeongwon Line railway. In 1991, the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) installed an asbestos soundproof wall here to prevent noise and other disturbances.
After more than 30 years, the soundproof wall had deteriorated, and residents were continuously exposed to environmental damage caused by the old asbestos wall. Accordingly, the Korea National Railway Corporation, the railway management authority, began soundproof wall improvement work in June 2021.
However, during the improvement work, the corporation discovered that the existing soundproof wall was not their property and abruptly halted construction in July of the same year. In response, residents of nearby apartments filed a collective grievance complaint with the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. In October 2022, the commission recommended that the Korea Land and Housing Corporation reinstall the soundproof wall. However, the corporation did not accept the recommendation, and the soundproof wall improvement work stalled.
As construction did not proceed, apartment residents then requested an audit from the Board of Audit and Inspection. During this process, Dobong-gu held a residents' meeting chaired by the mayor to gather residents' opinions and assist in finding a solution to the complaints.
During the audit, the Board of Audit and Inspection confirmed with Dobong-gu that the soundproof wall was located within a buffer green zone where installation is prohibited under the 'Park and Green Space Act' and proposed a plan to relocate the soundproof wall within the railway site.
Following the Board of Audit and Inspection's mediation, the Korea Land and Housing Corporation, Korea National Railway Corporation, and Dobong-gu agreed to build a new soundproof wall within the railway site as suggested. However, there were disagreements among the agencies regarding the cost-sharing ratio.
Judging that the soundproof wall issue, which had been deadlocked for several years, could no longer be delayed, Dobong-gu actively accepted the Board of Audit and Inspection's proposed cost-sharing ratio. Subsequently, the related agencies held working-level consultations from July to October last year and signed an agreement concerning project costs and the implementing body.
Thereafter, the soundproof wall, measuring 4 meters in height and 680 meters in length, was demolished. The waste from the demolition amounted to about 80 tons of asbestos and 25 tons of waste concrete, equivalent to 100 truckloads.
Currently, this area has been transformed into a barrier-free walking path. Along the path, 92 large trees and about 20,000 small trees have been planted. Six closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and 26 lights have also been installed for user safety.
The soundproof wall is scheduled to be installed next to the railway by July next year, according to the Board of Audit and Inspection's mediation. The space between the soundproof wall and the walking trail will be developed into a green space with various trees and flowers by Dobong-gu by October next year.
Mayor Oh Eon-seok of Dobong-gu said, "I am pleased that the active efforts of the district to promptly resolve the soundproof wall issue have borne fruit. We will continue to listen to the voices of our residents and actively work to resolve any problems."
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