The technical requirements for the planning of railways in Vietnam

Which technical requirements must the planning of railways be ensured in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

Based on Appendix II of the Circular No. 33/2021/TT-BGTVT, which regulates the technical requirements for railway planning as follows:

The national railway route planning aims to specify the national overall planning, railway network planning, and is prepared for the national railway route. The planning content is in accordance with the provisions of the Law amending and supplementing some articles of 37 related laws on planning No. 35/2018/QH14 dated November 20, 2018.

- Evaluate the current infrastructure structure of the railway route

+ General situation of the railway route: route direction, starting point, ending point, route length, track gauge, main control points, summary of bridge structures, tunnels, intersections, stations, depots;

+ Infrastructure structure: route profile; upper structure architecture of the railway; stations, depots; bridges, tunnels; information, signals; junctions and intersections, railway safety corridors...;

+ Transport vehicle situation (locomotives, carriages, etc.) and railway industrial facilities;

+ Transport operation situation on the route (freight volume; loading and unloading volume, passenger arrivals and departures at main stations; train schedule and capacity through reality; train speed; ...).

- Analyze and evaluate the implementation of related strategies, planning, and investment projects.

- Analyze and evaluate the transportation connection of the route, railway stations on the route.

- Survey, investigate, forecast the transportation demand in the railway route area.

- Select technology and technical scale for the route.

- Detailed railway route planning options.

+ Regarding the route: route direction, starting point, ending point, route length, track gauge, main control points; summary of bridge structures, tunnels, intersections; summary of stations, depots, electricity, information signals; route profile; upper structure architecture (rails, sleepers, ballast)…;

+ Regarding stations, stops, depots: quantity, location, function, scale,…;

+ Regarding tunnels, bridges: quantity, location, structure,…;

+ Regarding intersections, junctions, and traffic safety facilities: location, scale,…;

+ Determine the expected type of information, signals.

- Plan for connection with other transportation modes; connection with urban systems, economic zones, tourist areas, industrial zones....

- Direction, land use needs and electricity use (if any).

- Investment capital needs, criteria, investment priorities.

- Implementation organization solutions for planning.

- Maps, drawings

+ Current status map, railway route planning map built on the basis of the background map issued by the authorized agency (Vietnam national standard coordinate system VN2000);

+ The minimum scale of digital maps and printed maps is 1:50,000 for sections outside urban areas, 1:10,000 for sections in urban areas, 1:5,000 for key areas on the route (major bridges, tunnels);

+ On the printed map, clearly show the route alignment, positions of main control points, main structures;

+ Drawing: typical cross-section of the route.

Best Regards!