Incheon's Gyeyang-gu district has formally called on the government to accelerate the extension of the Daejang-Hongdae Line.
The district office said Monday it had visited the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to deliver a residents' petition and a policy proposal calling for the extension of the Daejang-Hongdae Line to Gyeyang, Cheongna and the Gyeyang Techno Valley.
The signature drive ran for one month, from Aug. 31 through Sept. 30, collecting 285,061 signatures through both online and offline channels.
In its policy proposal, the district made clear that extending the line is essential to meeting a sharp rise in transportation demand driven by the Gyeyang Techno Valley, a third-generation new town development.
The district particularly noted that Gyeyang Techno Valley is the only third-generation new town without a rail network plan, and said approval of a revised metropolitan transportation improvement measure must come without delay.
The proposal also called for a major improvement in transit access for existing urban neighborhoods — including Gyeyang, Seoun, Jakjeon and Hyosung — so that new and established communities can grow together in a balanced way.
The district has also asked Incheon Metropolitan City to cooperate actively in ensuring the project is reflected in both the Fifth National Railway Network Construction Plan and the metropolitan transportation improvement measure for the Incheon Gyeyang public housing district.
"The 285,000-plus signatures gathered this time are the fruit of our residents' deep desire to transform Gyeyang's future and dramatically improve its transportation environment," Gyeyang-gu District Mayor Park Hyung-woo said. "We will work with all our strength, in close consultation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other relevant ministries, to ensure the Daejang-Hongdae Line extension is included in the national railway network construction plan and the metropolitan transportation improvement measure."
gilbert@heraldcorp.com
