1,800 billion VND needed to build level crossings and underpasses to eliminate self-made walkways

The Vietnam Railway Authority recently issued a document proposing to the Ministry of Transport to allocate medium-term capital for the 2026-2031 period to implement the Project of Building Level Crossings and Underpasses to Eliminate Self-Opened Passages Across Railways.

The Vietnam Railway Authority said that this project builds level crossings and underpasses combined with a system of service roads invested by localities along the route to eliminate self-opened walkways in accordance with Decision 358/2020 of the Prime Minister on approving the Project "Ensuring order in traffic safety corridors and completely handling self-opened walkways across railways" (Project 358).

Accordingly, 297 level crossings and 149 underpasses will be built. The total estimated investment is 1,800 billion VND, from medium-term public investment capital for the period 2026-2031.

Vietnam Railways Department proposes to allocate medium-term capital for the period 2026-2031 to build level crossings and underpasses to eliminate self-opened passages (Photo: illustration).

In Project 358, the goal is set with many solutions, by 2025, all self-opened paths across railways must be completely eliminated. In the 2021-2025 period, 297 new level crossings and 149 underpasses will be built.

However, the funding source for investing in the construction of this project and other auxiliary projects such as overpasses, fences/receiving roads... has not been arranged by the competent authority according to the roadmap.

According to the Vietnam Railway Authority, there are currently 4,772 level crossings between roads and railways on the national railway network. Of these, there are 1,510 level crossings, including: 677 level crossings with guards, 9 level crossings with automatic warning guards, 738 level crossings with automatic warning guards installed, and 86 level crossings with signs.

Regarding self-opening walkways, there are still 3,262 locations, accounting for 68.3% of the total number of intersections. Previously, with many solutions and funding from the central and local governments, from December 2020 to June 2024, 838 dangerous self-opening walkways were eliminated, a reduction of 21.7%. In the first 6 months of 2024 alone, 66 dangerous self-opening walkways were eliminated.

There are still 4 black spots on the railway lines, a decrease of 1 spot, and 1,010 potential points at risk of railway traffic accidents, a decrease of 77 points compared to December 31, 2023.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/can-1800-ty-dong-lam-duong-ngang-ham-chui-de-xoa-loi-di-tu-mo-192240729170250847.htm