HCMC – A consulting unit has been chosen for the Metro Line No.2 project, known as Ben Thanh-Tham Luong line, raising prospects that construction could start later this year after repeated delays, the city’s urban railway authority said.
The Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) has approved a consulting package for preparing the revised feasibility study, front-end engineering design (FEED), and bidding for main packages, with an implementation period of 12 months.
A consortium comprising Guangzhou Metro Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. (China), Southern Transport Design Consultancy JSC, Portcoast Consultant Corporation, and ARTELIA SAS won the contract, valued at more than VND175 billion.
The consultant will prepare a revised feasibility study, update technical designs and assist in bidding for main construction packages. The changes include adjusting project scope and converting financing from official development assistance to the city’s budget, MAUR said.
The previous consultancy contract was suspended in 2018, stalling key procedures such as loan extensions, new loans from sponsors, and bidding for main packages.
By 2022, the contract was officially terminated. After the funding source was shifted to public investment, MAUR organized a new bidding process to select a consultant and resume progress.
The Ben Thanh-Tham Luong metro line stretches more than 11 kilometers with a total investment of nearly VND47.9 trillion, linking the city center with the northwestern gateway.
Approved in 2010, the project has faced repeated delays and its completion deadline has now been pushed back to 2030.
