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Australian residents take state gov't to court over controversial railway line

Xinhua, September 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

Angry Melbourne residents have launched Supreme Court action against the Victorian government over a controversial railway project.

The 1.2 billion U.S. dollar sky rail project would result in nine level crossings being removed in Melbourne's southeast suburbs and replaced with an elevated rail line, nine meters above the ground.

Residents along the planned sky rail route, including homeowners whose properties will be overlooked by passengers, launched legal action alleging the government's decision to allow the rail was "unreasonable."

Dianne Hunt, secretary of the community group Lower Our Tracks, said the government failed to properly consult the community over the project.

"We would like the process to be properly put to consultation and reviewed by the courts as to what has happened to date," Hunt told ABC Radio on Thursday.

"We would like a shallow tunnel -- just a normal "cut-and-cover"-- that's been employed everywhere else, that was promised by the previous government."

Premier Daniel Andrews defended the planning process, saying his government would not follow the precedent set by previous governments of finding any reason not to remove level crossings in Victoria.

"It was no different to many other projects that were initiated by other governments over a long period of time,"Andrews told the ABC."I won't comment any further on the specifics of it. That's a matter for the court to deal with.

"But, I just say this, for too long -- decades, perhaps longer -- governments have always found reasons no to get rid of these level crossings."

Opposition planning spokesman David Davis said in addition to the community outrage, sky rail would also cause environmental damage.

"There's enormous damage occurring along this corridor. Massive felling of trees (and) destruction of heritage,"Davis said.

"All of this could have been managed differently if only Daniel Andrews and his government had gone properly through a process, undertaken an Environmental Effects Statement, undertaken proper noise studies and listened to the community."

It is expected that sky rail would take 18 months to complete. Endit