Local residents of Tsogttsetsii sum in Umnugovi province held a press conference on Thursday to announce their intention to oppose an extensive railway construction plan, part of the “New Railway Network” project, for a 468km rail track on the Tavan Tolgoi-Sainshand route.

Local residents, mostly herders, urged to preserve their homeland as a wild and undisturbed site. The Tavan Tolgoi-Sainshand railway is projected to run through the northern part of Tsogttsetsii sum where the majority of the local population are settled.

Local residents demand project developers to reconsider the decision on the location of the Tavan Tolgoi-Sainshand track.  The area where the railroad projected is to go through is not only wild grassland but also the habitat of the Mongolian antelope. Therefore local residents suggested to the Minister of Road and Transport, A.Gansukh, to see the condition with his own eyes and to meet local herders.

Local residents said they do not oppose the Tavan Tolgoi-Sainshand railroad itself but want a reconsideration of its location due to its social, ecological and environmental impacts.

Residents suggest the project developers more the railroad plans to the southern part of the sum.