Incheon city lawmaker blasts city's complacent response, calls for credible, actionable plan
Delays in the delivery of rolling stock — a critical variable for the opening of the Seoul Metro Line 7 Cheongna extension — are raising concerns that the line's planned launch next year could fall behind schedule.
The controversy is deepening because Incheon city officials had long maintained there were no problems securing the trains, only for it to emerge recently that even deploying existing rolling stock would require separate negotiations with relevant agencies.
At the first plenary session of the 310th Incheon Metropolitan Council, held Thursday, lawmakers said the city had fallen short in managing the situation and preparing contingency measures over the train delivery delays on the Cheongna extension.
According to Assembly member Jeong Jong-hyeok of the Education Committee (Democratic Party, Seo-gu 1), manufacturer Dawon Sys has continued to miss delivery deadlines, and the possibility of terminating the contract is now being discussed.
That has fueled concern that the originally planned opening schedule for next year could be affected.
Incheon city had maintained that it was continuously monitoring the train manufacturing process and that there were no major obstacles to the project's progress.
Officials had also said that if deliveries were delayed, existing rolling stock could be used to operate the line.
However, a report by the city's Urban Railway Construction Headquarters in April confirmed that deploying existing vehicles would itself require coordination with relevant agencies. That prompted criticism that the backup plan was far less ready than officials had indicated.
Should the line open without a sufficient number of trains secured, passengers could face longer headways and more crowded carriages.
Calls are growing for the city to be transparent with residents about the impact on next year's completion and opening schedule, and about its plan to secure the necessary rolling stock.
Alongside scrutiny of the manufacturer's contract compliance, voices are also calling for a comprehensive review of the city's contract management, risk management framework, reporting processes and contingency procurement plans.
As the Cheongna extension is a long-awaited piece of transport infrastructure for residents of Cheongna International City, laying out a clear plan for securing trains and finalizing the opening schedule has become an urgent priority.
"What citizens want is not the phrase 'under review' — they want a plan for securing the trains, a firm opening date, audit results and accountability," Jeong said. "Incheon city is optimistic about the risks and passive when it comes to actually preparing the measures that are needed. It is time to present an actionable plan that citizens can trust."
gilbert@heraldcorp.com
