The numerous houses, cafes, liquorstalls and other small businesses that litter both sides of railwayeasements are a major cause of traffic accidents and should be removed,warns Hanoi - Hai Phong Railway Management Company deputy directorNguyen Hoai Trung.
Much of the 120-km major railwaytracks the company managed had been seriously encroached, especially inthe city, he said.
The railway corridors in Dinh Cong, Kham Thien, Nha Dau and Phung Hungstreets, Hanoi , as well as Nhu Quynh village, Hung Yen province, wereusually covered with rubbish that obstructed the traffic.
Informing people about the danger would be a “must” for his company this year, he said.
Vietnam Railway Corporation surveys show suburban violations are the most serious danger.
For example, residents have illegally built 40 of 43 crossings of 2-kmrailway in the Co Nhue commune, Tu Liem district for temporary marketsand traffic accidents are regularly occur there.
The survey reveals encroachment at 12,000 locations in 33 cities andprovinces - 4,200 in Hanoi , Hai Phong and HCM City .
Road and Railway Traffic Police representative Dam Xuan Bo saidencroachment into the corridors blocked people’s sight and causedrailway accidents.
His department’s statistics showed that an average of about 150 railwayaccidents that cause tens of deaths and injuries were reported eachmonth.
The statistics also reveal that signals were ignored in almost 80percent of the accidents and 10 percent were the result of peoplewalking, squatting or lying on the railway.
The other 10 percent were the result of people intentionally ducking under traffic barriers.
But Vietnam Railways figures reveal that 99 percent of accidents occur at illegal and unprotected barrier-less crossings.
These include Giap Bat-Van Dien-Thuong Tin in Hanoi ; My Ly-QuanThanh-Ca Rom in the central province of Khanh Hoa and Bien Hoa-Ho Naiin the southern province of Dong Nai .
For example, 16 deaths in 13 accidents were reported from the 500m VanDien-Thuong Tin railway track where 166 illegal railroad crossings werebuilt in the past two years.
Vietnam Railways safety director Pham Van Binh said residentsdemolished special-built safety walls and built their own crossings,for easier access.
Vietnam Railways inspectors together with road and railway trafficpolice and other agencies have started a campaign to deal with thesuburban encroachments.
Vietnam Railways Inspector Uong Dinh Hung said local officials hadplayed an important part in identifying the violators and suggestingproper, stiff punishments.
Local officials would assess household encroachments and those withouthouse ownership or land-use certificates would face fines in accordancewith government regulations of between 3 million and 20 million VND,about 147 -1,052 USD.
Measures to have legal documents clear the corridors would follow.
The hazardous Tia Market in Thuong Tin District, Thanh Tri District,Giai Phong, Phung Hung, Kham Thien streets, central Hanoi, and illegalcrossings in the Phuong Liet and Trung Phung wards of Dong Da Districtas well as the Hanoi- Ngoc Hoi line would also be cleared./.
Much of the 120-km major railwaytracks the company managed had been seriously encroached, especially inthe city, he said.
The railway corridors in Dinh Cong, Kham Thien, Nha Dau and Phung Hungstreets, Hanoi , as well as Nhu Quynh village, Hung Yen province, wereusually covered with rubbish that obstructed the traffic.
Informing people about the danger would be a “must” for his company this year, he said.
Vietnam Railway Corporation surveys show suburban violations are the most serious danger.
For example, residents have illegally built 40 of 43 crossings of 2-kmrailway in the Co Nhue commune, Tu Liem district for temporary marketsand traffic accidents are regularly occur there.
The survey reveals encroachment at 12,000 locations in 33 cities andprovinces - 4,200 in Hanoi , Hai Phong and HCM City .
Road and Railway Traffic Police representative Dam Xuan Bo saidencroachment into the corridors blocked people’s sight and causedrailway accidents.
His department’s statistics showed that an average of about 150 railwayaccidents that cause tens of deaths and injuries were reported eachmonth.
The statistics also reveal that signals were ignored in almost 80percent of the accidents and 10 percent were the result of peoplewalking, squatting or lying on the railway.
The other 10 percent were the result of people intentionally ducking under traffic barriers.
But Vietnam Railways figures reveal that 99 percent of accidents occur at illegal and unprotected barrier-less crossings.
These include Giap Bat-Van Dien-Thuong Tin in Hanoi ; My Ly-QuanThanh-Ca Rom in the central province of Khanh Hoa and Bien Hoa-Ho Naiin the southern province of Dong Nai .
For example, 16 deaths in 13 accidents were reported from the 500m VanDien-Thuong Tin railway track where 166 illegal railroad crossings werebuilt in the past two years.
Vietnam Railways safety director Pham Van Binh said residentsdemolished special-built safety walls and built their own crossings,for easier access.
Vietnam Railways inspectors together with road and railway trafficpolice and other agencies have started a campaign to deal with thesuburban encroachments.
Vietnam Railways Inspector Uong Dinh Hung said local officials hadplayed an important part in identifying the violators and suggestingproper, stiff punishments.
Local officials would assess household encroachments and those withouthouse ownership or land-use certificates would face fines in accordancewith government regulations of between 3 million and 20 million VND,about 147 -1,052 USD.
Measures to have legal documents clear the corridors would follow.
The hazardous Tia Market in Thuong Tin District, Thanh Tri District,Giai Phong, Phung Hung, Kham Thien streets, central Hanoi, and illegalcrossings in the Phuong Liet and Trung Phung wards of Dong Da Districtas well as the Hanoi- Ngoc Hoi line would also be cleared./.
