Bht4bn sought for Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) light railway transit system
Nakhon Ratchasima: Local authorities will ask for about 4 billion baht from the government to fund the province’s light rail transit system, the construction of which is expected to begin next year.
The province’s sub-committee on land transport has opted for a light rail system due to lower investment costs, which are estimated to be around four billion baht, according to Surawut Cherdchai, former mayor of Nakhon Ratchasima and an adviser to the chairman of the Senate’s transport committee.
He said the 20-kilometre route with 20 stations will be submitted to Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit before being forwarded to the cabinet for approval. If approved, construction is expected to begin next year.
The elevated mass transit system will run along Mittraphap Road in Korat, beginning at Debaratana Nakhonratsima Hospital and ending at Jor Hor terminal.
The update about the mass transit system was provided at a meeting on major provincial infrastructure projects, attended by officials from the Department of Highways (DoH), the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA), and local municipal authorities.
Other key projects discussed at the meeting included the construction of an underpass at Terminal 21 Korat intersection, another one at Pradok intersection, the dual-track railway project and the high-speed rail project.
According to the DoH, construction of the two underpasses is progressing ahead of schedule and is expected to be completed by April next year, three months earlier than planned.
However, Chaiwat Wongbenjarat, a member of the sub-committee, said that the high-speed rail and dual-track railway projects are unlikely to be completed before the International Horticultural Expo in 2029. Nakhon Ratchasima will host the event, also known as Korat Expo 2029, from Nov 10, 2029, to Feb 28, 2030.
The 250.77-kilometre high-speed rail link between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima is expected to be finished by 2029, while the dual-track railway is scheduled for completion in 2031. They will not be ready by the time of the Korat Expo, Mr Chaiwat said.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2963136/b4bn-sought-for-light-railway
