Enhancing Railway Safety: Russia’s New Administrative Liability Law for Infrastructure Protection

The Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China has recently promulgated a significant new regulatory framework titled “Regulations on the Management of Railway Construction Engineering Investigation and Design” (Decree No. 3 of 2025). Officially issued on 17 June 2025, these regulations are set to take effect on 1 September 2025. The regulation represents a comprehensive effort to standardize the initial stages of railway construction projects across the country, particularly focusing on surveying and design activities. Historically, discrepancies and inconsistencies in the survey and design phase have caused delays, cost overruns, and safety concerns in Chinese railway projects. By introducing clear and binding standards, the Ministry of Transport aims to create a more predictable and consistent framework that aligns the work of engineering and design units with national expectations for safety, quality, and efficiency. This move is also consistent with broader national goals of promoting high-quality development in infrastructure projects and advancing the modernization of China’s vast railway network.

The purpose of these regulations is multi-faceted. At its core, the framework seeks to improve the quality and reliability of surveying and design work, ensuring that all projects meet rigorous technical standards before construction begins. This includes comprehensive provisions on how engineering surveys should be conducted, methods for designing railway infrastructure, and requirements for technical documentation and reporting. Additionally, the regulations set out clear responsibilities for units conducting investigation and design work, including accountability measures and oversight requirements. Through these measures, the regulations aim to prevent common issues such as inadequate site assessments, design errors, and inconsistencies between project planning and actual implementation. Beyond technical quality, the regulations also emphasize safety of life and property, reflecting the Chinese government’s priority on preventing accidents and ensuring that infrastructure development aligns with public welfare. The regulations effectively establish a more structured, legally backed approach to the planning and design stage, laying a foundation for safer and more reliable railway construction projects nationwide.

The implications of these regulations are substantial for both public and private stakeholders involved in railway projects. For construction and engineering companies, the regulations introduce higher compliance requirements and entry barriers, necessitating that firms adhere strictly to approved methodologies and documentation standards. Contractors and design institutes may need to enhance staff training, upgrade technical capabilities, and invest in more sophisticated survey equipment to meet the new criteria. On a strategic level, this regulatory tightening is expected to accelerate the high-quality build-out of railway infrastructure by reducing delays, minimizing design errors, and promoting uniform standards across regions. For the Chinese railway system as a whole, the regulations signify a shift toward more formalized and professionalized project management, which could increase the efficiency and reliability of railway development. Ultimately, by codifying standards for the survey and design phase, China is reinforcing the foundational processes that underpin its ambitious infrastructure goals, ensuring that future railway projects are safer, higher quality, and better aligned with the country’s broader economic and technological objectives.