Railway construction may require knocking down several dozen houses near Panevėžys in northern Lithuania. As the affected residents protest the plans, the city’s mayor argues the railway will bring many benefits.
The European-gauge railway track Rail Baltica is the biggest pan-Baltic infrastructure project in recent decades. Part of the track is crossing the District of Panevėžys in northern Lithuania.
One of the options foresees the rail crossing the city of Panevėžys, with a planned international station.
However, this option involves knocking down 52 residential houses.
Their owners have drafted a petition, urging the government to pick another option.
“The railway would go right through the chimney of my house,” says one resident, Vidmantas Puodžius.
He says he was shocked when he learned that his house, where he has lived for more than 30 years, was marked for demolition.
“It was a shock for everyone, the house has been renovated, everything has been done, I don’t know what to do next,” he says.
“I’d lose everything. As would my family, my grandchildren. I built it, I did everything,” says another resident, Romas Ramanauskas.
The plan for the Rail Baltica railway line includes three alternatives. The first one, which involves demolishing the houses, is also the most expensive, estimated at 438 million euros.
While the other options are considerably cheaper, this one has been deemed the most favourable for the development of the city.
“Investment attractiveness and urban development will increase, the region will certainly take on a completely different shape,” says Panevėžys Mayor Rytis Mykolas Račkauskas. “We are all worried that our children are leaving, that they might not come back. So if we want them to come back, let’s create the conditions.”
The residents whose properties would have to be taken will receive compensations, to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and subject to a property assessment.
This, however, does not sound convincing to the owners.
“Where do we go, what will they give us? They’ll throw a few euros our way and that will be the end of it,” complains Puodžius.
Rail Baltica managers say all the land plots required for the rail construction will be appraised according to market value, while residential houses will be compensated for according to their replacement value: how much it would cost to build the same house in another place.
“As soon as the best plan is confirmed and the people who fall within the territory of that plan are identified, we will definitely communicate with them individually so that they can receive compensation and settle in other places,” comments Mantas Kaušylas, the project preparation manager for Rail Baltica.
The Ministry of Transport is expected to decide which option to go ahead with in October.
Rail Baltica, which is intended to connect Tallinn, Pärnu, Riga, Panevėžys, Kaunas, Vilnius, and Warsaw, is expected to launch operations in 2030.
LRT English
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