Project Plan to Be Submitted to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport by the End of This Month
City Council Says "Comprehensive Plan Needed"...Expresses Negative View
Gwangju City is set to accelerate the construction project of the 'Gwangcheon-Sangmu Line' urban railway network.
According to the city on the 11th, after completing the Gwangju City Council's opinion hearing procedure the previous day, it plans to submit the project plan to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport at the end of this month.
However, concerns have arisen about potential setbacks in the project’s progress as the city council has expressed a negative stance. The council pointed out that a comprehensive and detailed plan is needed for the decadal urban railway network construction, rather than a single line. They argue that the plan should include economically viable lines among the Bongseon-Cheomdan Line, Suwan-Pyeongdong Line, and Hyocheon Line.
The city council stated, "As a result of discussions on the urban railway network construction plan, a comprehensive and detailed plan is needed rather than the fragmentary 'Gwangcheon-Sangmu Line' proposal."
They also expressed regret, saying, "Despite having sufficient time and opportunities since last year, the public hearing was hastily organized and poorly conducted, and detailed materials were not provided to the council in advance, so a thorough deliberation process was not possible."
Gwangju City plans to finalize the project plan by reflecting all feedback from neighboring cities and provinces, prior consultations with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, public hearings, and the city council's opinions, and submit it to the ministry at the end of this month. Afterward, the project will go through the ministry’s feasibility review and final announcement, the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s preliminary feasibility study, and the establishment of a basic plan, with the goal of starting construction in 2028 and completing it in 2032.
The total project cost for the Gwangcheon-Sangmu Line is estimated at 692.5 billion won (415.5 billion won from the national government and 277 billion won from the city), with the city planning to cover its share using public contributions from complex shopping mall developments and other sources.
In the Gwangcheon-Sangmu Line section, two complex shopping malls and a housing development project are underway, and the economic feasibility analysis showed a benefit-cost (B/C) ratio of 0.88 and an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) score of 0.616, indicating a relatively high project feasibility. In a public opinion survey, 62% of citizens supported the construction of the Gwangcheon-Sangmu Line.
A city official explained, "After reviewing the Gwangcheon-Sangmu Line, Bongseon-Cheomdan Line, and Suwan-Pyeongdong Line, considering funding methods, the Gwangcheon-Sangmu Line was selected as the top investment priority."
Meanwhile, Gwangju City is promoting the construction of the 7.78 km Gwangcheon-Sangmu Line, which will connect Sangmu Station, the Gwangcheon area, and the rear gate of Gwangju Station, taking into account the Hyundai and Shinsegae Department Store complex shopping malls and KIA Champions Field.
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