HCM City (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested Ho Chi MinhCity to make greater efforts to accelerate the disbursement of public investment while visiting andinspecting construction sites of several transport and health projects in the southern largest economic hub on April 15 afternoon.

Inspecting the progress of An Phu interchange project in Thu Duc city, PMChinh asked relevant units to spend efforts completing the project by April 30,2025 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation ofthe South and National Reunification Day.

The An Phu interchange project, when it is completed, willconnect Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway with Mai Chi ThoBoulevard in order to ease traffic pressure on one of the worst bottlenecks inthe southern metropolis, has a total investment of 3.4 trillion VND (145million USD).

Taking a test run of a metro train from Rach Chiec Stationto Suoi Tien Station as part of the Metro Line No.1 project (Ben Thanh -Suoi Tien), the Government leader requested the construction of Ho Chi MinhCity’s first metro line to be completed by September 2 this year on theoccasion of the 78th National Day and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations.

The PM also talked with Japanese Ambassador to VietnamYamada Takio at the construction site, during which he thanked the Japanese Governmentfor supporting Vietnam in developing strategic infrastructure, including thefirst metro line in Ho Chi Minh City.

He proposed Japan continue providing new-generation ODAloans to Vietnam for its infrastructure development, including the second metroline in the southern metropolis (Metro Ben Thanh-Tham Luong).

The first metro line, which spans 19.7 kilometres from BenThanh Station in District 1 to Long Binh Depot in Thu Duc city, has a totalcapital of 43.7 trillion VND. Work on this project started in 2012, and over 94% of its workload has been completed.

PM Chinh also inspected the progress of the 1,000-bed ThuDuc regional general hospital project worth over 1.9 trillion VND.

He requested HCM City to soon complete the disbursement of 1.5trillion VND in public investment allocated for Thu Duc, Hoc Mon and Cu Chihospitals in 2023, ensuring compliance with regulations.

On the day, the Government leader also attended the inauguralceremony of the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital’s second facility.

Construction on the 1,000-bed facility worth 249 million USD beganin June 2016. It was partially put into operation in late 2020.

Speaking at the inaugural event, Chinh affirmed that theParty and State have always paid great attention to the care and protection ofpeople's health./.