At the beginning of April, the news began to spread that the Chinese CATL had bought a section of railway line 106 leading from Debrecen to Nagykereki and that they would build their battery factory in that area. This would mean that either a new route would have to be designated and a new pair of rails built on it, or passenger train traffic would cease on line 106 and thus in the five settlements located on it.
The Debrecen municipality ordered a feasibility study on changing the route of railway line 106 in 2021 (so before the announcement of the CATL investment), but the aim was to avoid the Southern Industrial Park, which was still yet to be parceled out at that time.
The Ministry of Construction confirmed to Telex that the relocation of the railway track had been planned for years, and a feasibility study had already been prepared. And the “track correction” is necessary not only because of the factory construction, but also because the runway of the Debrecen airport will be extended, and the current railway line will also be in the way of that. In addition, the industrial park needs its own railway terminal suitable for freight transport, so, among other things, CATL’s batteries will also be able to be transported to the car factories on a fixed track.
When asked when the track of railway line 106 will be relocated, the Ministry of Construction and Transport replied: “The planning process can be started in the event of a government decision, after a successful public procurement procedure has been conducted and funds are available.”
The official of CATL stated that they did not consult directly with MÁV regarding railway line 106. The land owned by CATL is located east of the railway line, their activities do not affect the operation of the railway line. In reality, this means that CATL has so far bought a part of the entire planned factory area, the area east of the railway, on which the first phase of the factory will be built. The problem with the railway line will therefore only be relevant when the second or third phase is implemented, not in the next few years.
The mayor of Estár is also not happy about the relocation of the railway line, as he said, route 106 plays a very important role in the life of the village and the region, as it is the only means of public transport that can be taken seriously with Debrecen. The version that people living here use buses to replace trains for many years is completely unacceptable, as it is not possible to transport so many passengers in a civilized way, said Tamás Szécsi.
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