HCMC – Trains for the first metro line project in HCMC will be shipped to the southern city in October and be received by six Japanese experts who are set to arrive in the city on September 18 and undergo a 14-day quarantine period.
A representative of the HCMC Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) told VnExpress on September 3 that these experts are in charge of two packages comprising package CP2 to build an elevated track and depots and package CP3 consisting of the purchase and installation of electrical systems.
The coronavirus outbreak had earlier prevented them from entering Vietnam, slowing down the transportation of the trains to HCMC, previously scheduled for early April, the representative said.
Some other experts have recently registered to enter the city to continue their work on the project, said MAUR, adding that the difficulties preventing the foreign experts from entering have been solved and the project will now progress at a quick pace.
Some 86% of the package of elevated tracks and depots is complete, according to MAUR. Meanwhile, at Long Binh Depot in HCMC’s District 9, some categories such as monitoring and maintenance centers are being completed.
The first metro line, which connects Ben Thanh Market in downtown HCMC and Suoi Tien Theme Park in District 9, is set to have a total of 17 trains, with each of them having three cars in the first phase, with a total length of 61.5 meters. Each train will be extended to have six cars in the future.
The VND43.7 trillion rail line will stretch some 20 kilometers and have three underground and 11 elevated stations.