Guri Mayor Baek Gyeong-hyun Requests Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Expedite Confirmation of Additional Stop at Galmae Station on GTX-B

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Um In-yong] Guri Mayor Baek Gyeong-hyun met with Vice Minister Kang Hee-up of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 15th at the Sejong Government Complex to request the prompt confirmation of an "additional stop at Galmae Station on GTX-B" to improve wide-area transportation in the Galmae area.

The Metropolitan Wide-Area Transportation Committee had designated the Galmae district as a concentrated transportation management area in October 2022 and mentioned the need for medium and long-term expansion of transportation facilities such as railway networks.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport also stated in a disclosure document on the results and reflection of resident consent opinions regarding the environmental impact assessment of the private investment project for the Metropolitan Express Railway B Line that it would "actively cooperate in GTX-B Galmae Station service if an additional stop is discussed on a cost-responsibility basis."

Accordingly, Guri City strongly requested that the additional stop at Galmae Station on GTX-B be reflected in the feasibility verification project currently being promoted by the Korea Railroad Corporation, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the Korea Railroad Corporation is known to have begun work on the "Metropolitan Express Railway (GTX)-B Line Galmae Station Additional Stop Project Feasibility Verification Project" in February and is scheduled to complete it in December.

Mayor Baek Gyeong-hyun stated, "It is highly unreasonable that there is no service stop despite Guri City bearing approximately 40 billion won in construction costs for GTX-B from the perspective of traffic convenience for Guri citizens," and emphasized, "Currently, National Route 47 (Gyeongchun Northern Road) experiences severe congestion during rush hours, with the road traffic service level remaining at Grade E. When the Galmae Station area and Wangsuk districts are completed in 2028, a traffic crisis will be inevitable, and the additional stop at Galmae Station on GTX-B is the only solution that can fundamentally resolve traffic congestion."

In response, Vice Minister Kang Hee-up of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated, "I empathize with the difficult transportation reality in the Galmae area, and since the Korea Railroad Corporation is currently conducting a feasibility verification project, I will actively consider and support the request for an additional stop at Galmae Station on GTX-B for regional balanced development and improved public transportation convenience."