Third railway plans upset residents

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-27 11:02

Residents in north Beijing are furious at plans to build a third overground railway near their community, already affected by the Beijing-Baotou railway and subway line 13.

Dingxiuqingxi community was informed on Nov 15 that a new railway linking Beijing to Shenyang, Liaoning province would pass close to their area, the Beijing News reported recently.

The community's residents were advised through bulletin advertising in the compound to contact the No 3 Railway Survey and Design Institute in Tianjin (RSDIT) for more information.

A local property management company said all community residents oppose the plan.

"We have been fighting the railways since 2007 when the compound was first built close to the Beijing-Baotou line," Liu Yanan, an IT professional living on the estate, told METRO yesterday.

"We have to cross railway tracks everyday and trains sound their whistles when they pass by, even at midnight. There are no soundproof walls along the tracks so we are always woken up. Our buildings shake," Liu said.

The Beijing-Baotou railway passes within 60 m of Liu's building. According to the new Beijing-Shenyang plan, the tracks will lie even closer - only 50 m.

"Many people have moved out of the community because of predicted problems with the new railway. Currently, only half of the apartments are filled," she said.

An online forum has been recently started by residents to rally support and discuss ways to oppose the project, including organizing group excursions to RSDIT. In addition to Dingxiuqingxi community, at least eight other communities are also included in the new plan such as Huilongguan and Wangjing estates.

"We have received feedback from many local residents and they've expressed strong concerns about their living environment," said Dang Hui, in charge of the Beijing-Shenyang Railway's environment assessment.

Dang said they have forwarded some public responses to the railway designers who might consider adding noise reduction facilities such as soundproof walls. The predicted date of completion of the new railway is unconfirmed, but Dang says work is planned to start this year.

The length of the Beijing-Shenyang railway will be 676 km. All trains on this line should travel in excess of 300 km per hour.