PM urges faster progress of HCM City’s metro project
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has underlined the Government’s determination to speed up the progress of Ho Chi Minh City’s metro project to serve the city’s development, reduce traffic congestions and effectively use capital.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the meeting (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen XuanPhuc has underlined the Government’s determination to speed up the progress ofHo Chi Minh City’s metro project to serve the city’s development, reducetraffic congestions and effectively use capital.
During a meeting in Hanoi on April 13, PM Phuc stressedthe need to strictly and fully abide by legal regulations while preventingnegative acts and corruption in the implementation of the project.
He asked the People’s Committee of HCM City to dealwith troubles regarding the project, while making dossiers on the constructionof the project and submit them to authorized agencies for verification.
The Ministry of Transport was assigned to complete averification report after consultations with relevant ministries and isresponsible for the verification of concerned aspects such as economics,technology and total investment.
The PM also requested otherrelevant ministries and sectors to prepare explanation for issues under theirmanagement if required by the National Assembly.
HCM City’smetro project was the first proposed in 2001 as part of a comprehensive publictransport plan for HCM City and neighbouring provinces to mitigate traffic congestions.
Itincludes three monorail lines with a total length of 37km and six partlyunderground metro routes running a total of 107km from Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien,Ben Thanh to Tham Luong, Ben Thanh to Binh Tan, Lang Cha Ca to Van Thanh, ThuThiem to Can Giuoc, and Ba Queo – Phu Lam. Ben Thanh will be a hub connectingall the lines.
According to the initial estimates in 2007, totalinvestment of the project was 17 trillion VND (around 749 million USD).However, a recent calculation of Japanese consultant joint venture, verified bya Singaporean independent consultant unit, showed that total cost must be 47trillion VND (2.07 billion USD). So far, 51 percent of the project’s workloadhas been completed and the project is scheduled to be finished in 2020.-VNA
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed to advance Official Development Assistance (ODA) capital for the Metro Line No 1 Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien to meet the project’s schedule.
The first metro tunnel running from Ba Son Station to the Municipal Theatre in District 1 is expected to be completed by the end of this month, two months ahead of schedule.
Ho Chi Minh City has asked the Government for an additional 800 million USD for the metro No 2 line from Ben Thanh to Tham Luong to serve design changes and permission to delay completion until 2024.
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Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the meeting (Photo: VNA) 
