Residents of Eunma apartment oppose construction of GTX-C line

As the Hyundai E&C consortium was selected as a preferred bidder to construct the GTX-C rail route, there were mixed responses from residents in different areas. While the residents of Eunma apartment in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul are strongly opposing the decision as the line is expected to travel undergrow below the apartment, those near Wangsimni Station and Indeogwon Station are welcoming the decision as an additional station will be built in the area and likely increase housing prices.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Friday, the GTX-C line proposed by Hyundai E&C passes 40 to 50 meters underground below Eunma apartment. Its residents are opposing the decision for safety and vibration issues. “Who would agree with the plan when it says an express railway will be built under the apartment whose outer wall concrete is falling off and injuring residents?” said a resident of over 20 years of the apartments. “If the line bypasses by about 600 meters, residents don’t have to worry about their safety,” said a member of the council of Eunma apartment owners. “According to our own estimate, 30 billion won is enough to do this.”

　

However, the government claims that there won’t be any issues since the latest construction method will be used and thorough safety checks will be implemented. “We will look for alternatives if the ground is found to be unstable based on on-site examinations in the working design stage,” said a member of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. “Considering other previous projects, there is little concern about safety.”

Residents near Cheongnyangni Station, which is already included as part of the GTX-C line, are also opposing the decision because Wangsimni Station, which is 2.3 kilometers away from Cheongnyangni Station, is newly added to the express railway. The residents complain that GTX will become a slow train, not an express train.


soon9@donga.com