Chi Thanh tunnel has been repaired, North - South railway is open

The landslide at Chi Thanh tunnel has been resolved by noon today (May 31), and the North-South railway line through the area is now open, with trains running normally.

Vietnam Railways Corporation announced that at 12:20 PM on May 31st, the landslide at Chi Thanh tunnel (Tuy Hoa, Phu Yen ) had been resolved. The ASY22 freight train, pulling 23 carriages and carrying 939 tons, passed through the tunnel safely.

Prior to the cargo train, the construction vessel passed through the tunnel at 11:45 AM, completing the technical clearance and load testing.

The landslide incident at Chi Thanh tunnel has been resolved, and the first cargo train has passed through the tunnel safely.

Thus, after a 10-day disruption due to the landslide in the Chi Thanh railway tunnel, all trains can now pass through the tunnel at a speed of 5 km/h starting from noon today. The SE9 train is expected to be the first passenger train to pass through the tunnel, around 2:30 PM this afternoon, carrying nearly 200 passengers. Previously, on May 21st, during the construction and reinforcement of the Chi Thanh tunnel (Km 1168+700 on the Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City railway line), a landslide occurred inside the tunnel, approximately 160 meters from the northern entrance. The incident caused soil and rocks to completely fill the tunnel, forcing the closure of the railway section between La Hai station (Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen province) and Chi Thanh station (Tuy An district, Phu Yen province). Following the incident, Vietnam Railways Corporation directed the Phu Khanh Railway Exploitation Branch, the Railway Infrastructure Management Sub-division 3, and Phu Khanh Railway Joint Stock Company to mobilize personnel and equipment to support the investor and construction contractor in resolving the incident. The incident caused serious disruption to railway traffic and significant damage. To maintain transportation operations and minimize damage and impact on passengers, during the 10 days of the incident (from May 21st to May 31st, 2024), Vietnam Railways Corporation safely transported 36,235 passengers on 129 trains by bus between La Hai and Tuy Hoa stations.

Previously, the railway allowed construction trains to pass through, for tunnel maintenance, and for safety load testing.

During the transit period, passengers were served free meals and drinks. The railway sector regularly informed and updated passengers and cargo owners about the repair work; passenger services on the train and at the station were well organized. However, due to concerns about the incident affecting schedules, thousands of passengers returned their train tickets. "Regarding cargo, hundreds of freight trains had to stop along the way or wait for plans at the departure stations. The railway had to transfer some trains by road to ensure progress. However, due to the prolonged repair time, many cargo owners transporting frozen goods, food, and consumer goods canceled orders, causing significant immediate and long-term losses," a representative of the Vietnam Railway Corporation stated.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/ham-chi-thanh-da-khac-phuc-xong-duong-sat-bac-nam-thong-tuyen-192240531124643412.htm