Bad start for Incheon’s subway
Trains undergo a test-run last month ahead of the official launch of Incheon’s new subway line, which connects 27 stations on a 29.1-kilometer (18.1-mile) path. [NEWSIS]
But things have been going wrong - especially with the metro.
On Wednesday, a train failed to stop exactly at the designated spot, disabling the doors from opening. A passenger inside the vehicle pressed an emergency bell and forced open a door, through which all other passengers successfully passed and landed on the platform. No one was injured.
On the subway’s first day of service last Saturday, six malfunctions occurred, forcing trains to halt between their routes. Power was cut off at one point. Signaling systems also went awry and trains failed to stop at their designated spots in stations.
Many Incheon residents now say they’re worse off than before, and some argue that the city should revert back to the old system.
“It’s totally wrong,” said Kim Yong-tae, 44, an office worker. “The new subway line also has many problems.”
Costing some 2.3 trillion won ($2.06 billion) from both national and municipal coffers, the project was touted as using a state-of-the-art unmanned automatic system for the subway. The city pledged to make transportation throughout Incheon easier by connecting the northwestern and southeastern regions.
But some passengers complain that transit is still inconvenient, and others wonder about the safety of the unmanned subway trains.
“It feels weird,” said Park Seon-yang, 76. “Everything seems okay, but I’m worried about my own safety.”
When asked about these concerns, one of the safety guards dispatched by the train’s operator, Incheon Transit Corporation, said there’s always someone riding the trains during all hours of operation to make sure there are no issues.
Some have also pointed out that the subway’s facilities don’t accommodate disabled people. Elevator doors don’t open long enough for people with movement issues, and most noticeably, there are no automatic wheelchair lifts or portable ramps.
So far, the Incheon Transit Corporation has tried to quell public anxiety by saying that the malfunctions were due to an “excessive number of passengers at a single time,” adding they were all fixed within the same day.
It did, however, add that adjustments would likely be made by January 2017.
BY KIM BEOM-SOO [car6839@gmail.com]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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