District operates 79 road heating cables, 8 automatic brine sprayers; vulnerable areas to receive priority clearing
Gangnam-gu is activating a comprehensive snow-removal response system to prepare for heavy snowfall and road icing this winter.
The district said it will operate a Snow Removal Disaster Safety Command Center from Sunday through March 15, 2027 — a four-month period — to respond swiftly to sudden heavy snow and other weather emergencies.
The command center will be staffed by 879 operational personnel, including a situation management and coordination team. The district will move to phased emergency duty based on snowfall forecasts and has secured 6,504 metric tons of de-icing materials in advance, including calcium chloride, salt and eco-friendly snow-removal agents.
The entire district has been divided into three zones for management. A total of 10 snow-removal bases — one main dispatch base, five forward bases and four mobile forward bases — will be distributed across the district to cut response and clearing times during heavy snowfall.
This year, the district has particularly strengthened measures to protect pedestrians as well as vehicle traffic. Sidewalk snow-clearing services along vulnerable sections of arterial roads have been expanded from seven routes to nine, and dedicated equipment — including sidewalk brushes and spreaders — will be deployed whenever a Level 1 or higher emergency alert is issued.
A dedicated snow-removal team will also operate during morning and evening rush hours to minimize disruptions to public transit. The team will cover a total of 460 locations, including 432 bus stops and 28 subway stations.
The district is also introducing community-focused snow-removal measures aimed at vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. This year, Gangnam-gu established a new "community-based snow-removal support unit" and designated nine priority clearing zones, including school zones, senior welfare facilities and apartment complexes more than 30 years old. Dedicated support teams will be deployed proactively before and after heavy snowfall to ensure pedestrian safety.
Smart snow-removal infrastructure has also been expanded. Road heating cables — which melt snow and ice on steep slopes — have been extended by 215 meters across two new sites in Nonhyeon-dong and Cheongdam-dong. This brings the total road heating cable network this winter to 79 sites spanning 7,775 meters.
At freeze-prone locations such as permanently shaded stretches, eight remotely controlled automatic brine sprayers covering a total of 7,695 meters will operate to respond quickly to snowfall and icing.
Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyun-ki said the district would run its snow-removal operations with thorough advance preparation and rapid on-site response, given the increasing frequency of hard-to-predict heavy snowfall driven by climate change. "We also ask residents to actively join in by clearing snow in front of their own homes and shops," Kim said.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
