Proposal to use railway corridor as service road

The Ministry of Transport has just issued a document responding to the petition of voters of Quang Ngai province regarding the coordination mechanism between the railway industry and local authorities.

Previously, Quang Ngai voters proposed: "According to regulations on management and protection of railway infrastructure, households living in and near railway corridors are limited in some rights and needs such as: not being able to invest in lighting electricity, domestic water (tap water), roads... because of being entangled in railway regulations.

Therefore, voters suggest that all levels, ministries and branches build a coordination mechanism between the railway industry and local authorities at all levels to find a way to resolve this problem for the people."

The Ministry of Transport said it is proposing that competent authorities review and amend the 2017 Railway Law, which stipulates the use of railway corridors as service roads, with the construction of separating fences (Illustration photo).

The Ministry of Transport said that the current law on railways has fully regulated the management of land for railways; the management and use of land for railways; regulations on level crossings and the granting of construction permits for essential works within the land for railways; the responsibility of ensuring security, order and safety in railway operations of the People's Committees of provinces where railways pass through.

Furthermore, in 2013, the Ministry of Transport and the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province also had a coordination regulation in ensuring traffic safety and order at intersections between roads and railways.

Regarding the proposal to invest in lighting and domestic water systems within the land area reserved for railways, the Ministry of Transport said that electricity, lighting, water supply and drainage works are identified as essential works and are allowed to be built within the land area reserved for railways, but do not affect railway works or railway traffic safety. The procedures for granting construction permits for essential works are implemented according to the provisions of Circular No. 29/2023 of the Ministry of Transport.

According to the Ministry of Transport, in Decision No. 358/2020 approving the Project on Ensuring Order in Traffic Safety Corridors and Resolutely Handling Self-Opened Crossings on Railways, the Prime Minister assigned the People's Committees of provinces and cities with railways to preside over the construction of service roads to eliminate self-opened cross-roads on railways; Implementation roadmap in the period 2021-2025.

Regarding voters' recommendations on building service roads in the railway traffic safety corridor to serve people's travel needs, the Ministry of Transport is researching and recommending competent authorities to consider amending the program to build and amend the Railway Law in 2017.

Specifically, the amendment is in the direction: The current national railway traffic safety corridor is allowed to be used to build service roads with the purpose of eliminating self-opened paths across the railway. When building service roads in the railway traffic safety corridor, a fence must be built between the railway and the service road to ensure railway and road traffic safety.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/kien-nghi-cho-phep-su-dung-hanh-lang-duong-sat-lam-duong-gom-192240401151052967.htm