Strongly supporting the North-South high-speed railway project, National Assembly deputies and experts still have many concerns about planning and station locations...
Why not extend to Lang Son, Can Tho?
According to the plan submitted by the Government to the National Assembly, the North-South high-speed railway line starts in Hanoi (Ngoc Hoi station) and ends in Ho Chi Minh City (Thu Thiem station), passing through 20 provinces and cities with a route length of about 1,541 km. Participating in the discussion at the meeting on the afternoon of November 20, many National Assembly deputies said that it is necessary to expand the investment scope of the North-South high-speed railway line with the starting point being Lang Son and the end point being Ca Mau Cape. Before submitting to the National Assembly, the Government also "ordered" the Ministry of Transport that, in addition to the investment scope from the starting point of the project in Hanoi to the end point in Ho Chi Minh City, it is necessary to consider and study the plan to extend the high-speed railway line from Mong Cai to Ca Mau Cape.
Ministry of Transport sets 10-year target to complete Vietnam's "high-speed railway dream"
GRAPHICS: TRG.T.NHI – PHAT TIEN
The Ministry of Transport informed that the high-speed railway route on the North-South axis has been calculated to connect with the Asia-Europe international railway system. Specifically, in the northern region, from Ngoc Hoi complex, Thuong Tin station, the high-speed railway route on the North-South axis will connect international transport with China via the eastern beltway (connecting Ngoc Hoi station with Kim Son station); Kim Son station connects the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway route to Ha Khau - China and connects with Yen Thuong station to Nanning - China via the Hanoi - Lang Son route.
In the Central region, the high-speed railway on the North-South axis will connect international transport with Laos at Vung Ang station via the Mu Gia - Vung Ang - Vientiane route.
In the Southern region, the high-speed railway on the North-South axis will connect to Trang Bom station via a branch line. From Trang Bom station, a railway line has been planned to connect to An Binh station to go to Cambodia via the Ho Chi Minh City - Loc Ninh railway line and the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai railway line.
Responding to delegates, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang said that in addition to the North-South high-speed railway, there are currently two separate projects to build a railway from Hanoi to Lang Son and Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho that are being vigorously implemented according to the planning, according to standard gauge. Because the demand for freight transport on these routes is very high, the two routes will have the capacity to transport both passengers (at a speed of 160 - 200 km/h) and freight (at a speed of 100 - 120 km/h). Of which, the Hanoi - Lang Son project is expected to borrow capital from China; while the Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho project has conducted a pre-feasibility study and arranged funding. Thus, if these railway routes are simultaneously deployed and implemented, they will form a high-speed double-track railway with the same gauge of 1,435 mm running from Lang Son to Can Tho.
Delegates want high-speed railway to extend from Lang Son to Ca Mau Cape
Financial economist, Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Trong Thinh noted that high-speed railways are projects with superior technology, different techniques and large total investment. Unlike highways, which can be extended synchronously to wherever they want. With the Vietnam high-speed railway, the general view is to prioritize the main, vital route with the highest demand, which is the Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City route. Therefore, this route will be invested with high train speed, calculating the level of passenger and other cargo transportation - according to the current plan, priority is given to passenger transportation. Meanwhile, the routes from Hanoi to Lang Son or from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho, Ca Mau have the characteristics of shorter length, lower demand, so investment projects have been approved with lower speed and lower cost. These routes will be designed to combine cargo transportation with a higher rate than on the Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City route. Such a master plan for component railway projects, according to Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Trong Thinh, is reasonable.
However, in addition to the difference in train speeds, the location of the main stations of the routes is also uneven, which is considered inconvenient for interconnection. For example, while the main station of Ho Chi Minh City in Thu Thiem is the end point of the North-South route, the starting station of the Ho Chi Minh City-Can Tho route is An Binh station (in Binh Duong). These two stations are about 20 km apart. The Hanoi-Dong Dang (Lang Son) railway line, which is currently being proposed for a "new look", starts in Hanoi from Gia Lam station, about 23 km from Ngoc Hoi station, the expected starting point of the North-South route.
Engineer Vu Duc Thang, a bridge and road expert, assessed this as a huge problem because the transport capacity of the North-South high-speed railway is very strong, which will push a huge amount of passengers and goods to the initial/terminal stations. In particular, many customers and goods along the route from Hanoi to Can Tho need to go; conversely, from the South to the North need to go to Lang Son. These customers will have to get off at the initial/terminal stations of the North-South route, then find a car to go to the connecting station and wait for the train schedule to pick up passengers. Along with that, the shippers on this route will have to transfer cars, unload goods, increase the tip, wait for many procedures to check goods and pay the fare, then rent a truck, buy a new ticket, wait for the train to be established, and when there are enough trips, they can rent a car to transport them back to the warehouse.
“There are so many expensive and inconvenient surcharges for customers that they do not choose to take the train, but instead take a car on the expressways that connect to their homes. By connecting them into a unified route, passengers can sit still in one seat and sleep still in one bed; a sealed freight car with a declaration procedure can be pulled straight to the warehouse without having to unload or transfer routes. The Ministry of Transport and the consulting unit should study the shortest connection options for these “super” projects,” said engineer Vu Duc Thang.
Should train stations be moved to the suburbs?
Similarly, the plan to locate the North-South high-speed railway station far from the city center is also an issue that receives many conflicting opinions.
The North-South high-speed railway construction project is facing a historic moment.
PHOTO: AI DEVELOPMENT
Any form of transport that aims to serve passengers must be located near residential areas. For example, Paris, France, has five train stations in the city. In the capital of Japan, Tokyo Shinkansen Station, located in the Marunouchi business district, east of the Imperial Palace, is currently the largest and busiest station in Japan. As part of the Shinkansen high-speed rail network, Tokyo Station directly connects the capital to many popular destinations such as Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya and Hiroshima, and is also conveniently connected to Narita International Airport.
Expert Vu Duc Thang
According to the planning of the North-South high-speed railway route, many stations are not located in the city center. For example, Ngoc Hoi station is located in Lien Ninh and Ngoc Hoi communes, Thanh Tri district, Hanoi city, about 11 km from the current station in the center; Ninh Binh station is located in Khanh Thuong commune, Yen Mo district, 7.5 km south of Ninh Binh city center and the current Ninh Binh station; Dong Hoi station is located in Nghia Ninh commune, about 4.5 km southwest of Dong Hoi city center; Hue station will be located in Phu My commune, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien-Hue province, about 20 km from the city center; Dien Khanh station is located in Dien Thanh commune, Dien Khanh district, about 11 km west of Nha Trang center...
The Ministry of Transport explains: Experience in the world is that there are stations located in the center, and there are stations located in the urban access area. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, but the choice must be based on planning. Stations located in the center are often in particularly large urban areas, with available infrastructure, and the area ensures adequate arrangement of functions, especially not causing traffic congestion in the central area, convenient for passengers. However, the land clearance will be large and the land fund potential cannot be exploited. Meanwhile, in large urban areas today, the land fund for stations is often difficult, and land clearance is difficult to implement. Stations located in the urban access area have a small amount of land clearance, have the ability to develop and exploit, mobilize land fund resources, and do not put pressure on urban infrastructure. However, the government must invest in a public transport system connecting to the urban center.
In the conditions of Vietnam, the urbanization rate is low, the long-term urbanization target of 50% has not been achieved, so exploiting new development space is important. The high-speed railway route is studied, selected as "shortest possible" and meets principles such as being consistent with industry, national and local planning. The stations are arranged to ensure the distance requirements between stations, meet technical requirements, be suitable for the terrain conditions of the area the route passes through, limit passing through sensitive areas of natural and social environment, relic sites, scenic spots, limit the volume of land clearance, avoid densely populated areas.
Agreeing with the above plan, planning expert Nguyen Minh Hoa analyzed: In theory, when wanting to stimulate the economy of an undeveloped area or land, build an infrastructure or large traffic project there. For large cities and developing urban areas, the core area is already too narrow and crowded, so it is not advisable to "cram" in more large-volume traffic hubs such as railway stations. Not to mention that the main stations that gather a large number of passengers in the future will form business complexes, trade, restaurants, parking lots, etc., occupying a very large area. High-speed trains running 4-5 times a day at high speed will also greatly affect people's lives and the circulation of other means of transport in the inner city.
Meanwhile, many suburban districts and counties are still sluggish and have not yet "transformed". Therefore, the plan to place railway stations far from the inner city not only reduces traffic pressure in the core area but also contributes to activating the fringe area into a bustling area. However, for small cities and towns, railway stations should be located in the central area to promote the economy and create conditions for people living and doing business along the railway.
North-South high-speed railway solves logistics problems
High speed, modern train, must go to the center
However, the above viewpoint of the Ministry of Transport seems to be self-contradictory when in the draft law on Railways (amended), the competent authority of the Ministry is proposing to stipulate that type 1 urban areas and special urban areas must arrange passenger stations in the center or in convenient locations. The drafting committee explained that the location of passenger stations of national railways needs to be added to the law to serve as a basis for orienting urban space development. Practical experience from developed countries shows that the number of passengers carried by national railways is very large, bringing all of them to the urban center will greatly reduce the load on travel and connection between railway traffic and other modes of transport. Passengers can go directly from the center to the suburbs without having to change trains and there is no phenomenon of accumulation and congestion of large numbers of passengers at transfer stations between urban railways and national railways. This is a very effective solution to solve the current urban traffic problem.
Many National Assembly delegates also said that passenger stations should be in the inner city, if they are in the suburbs, more investment in connecting roads would be required.
Travel time (estimated) Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City route of the North - South high-speed railway
Road and bridge expert Vu Duc Thang said that the idea of “pushing” train stations and bus stations to deserted areas will fail because all forms of transportation must take passengers as the target of service. Bus stations and train stations are places to pick up and drop off passengers, so they must be in densely populated areas with the most convenient and fastest connections. Passengers must “go straight” from the starting point to the end point for them to prioritize their choice. In particular, railways are a means of transporting a very large volume of passengers, so priority must be given to “attracting” as many passengers as possible.
According to Mr. Thang, in the world, even if there are airports and train stations outside the inner city, every city must still have a train station located in the city center. Not only are they traffic hubs, train stations are also cultural centers, typical architecture, and tourist destinations.
“To ‘rescue’ Vietnam’s railways, we cannot only invest a lot of money but also need to bring railway stations closer to customers to increase their operational capacity. Nowadays, high-speed, polite and luxurious trains should go to the city center, which is reasonable,” Mr. Vu Duc Thang emphasized.
Sharing the same view, architect Khuong Van Muoi, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Architects, said that the plan to move bus stations, train stations, and passenger transport hubs out of the inner city is ideal in theory, but when the transportation system has not developed in time with the population growth rate, it will lead to many consequences. People still have to use personal vehicles, and even have to use more types of vehicles, which is both inconvenient and causes more traffic congestion. Therefore, we should consider the option of moving the hub station into the central area but only solving passenger transport, developing many types of services, and connecting well with the public transport network. All depot areas, locomotive and carriage repair areas, etc. should be moved outside.
Thanhnien.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hien-ke-duong-sat-cao-toc-bac-nam-185241125003016707.htm
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