HCMC — The Management Authority for Urban Railways of HCMC (MAUR) plans to complete Metro Line No. 1 by the end of this year and officially put it into operation from July 2024.
This information is included in a recent report on the implementation of Metro Line No. 1 by the project’s investor, MAUR. As of this month, the Metro Line No. 1, connecting Ben Thanh Market and Suoi Tien Theme Park, has been 96% completed.
To achieve this target, starting early next year, the investor, in collaboration with contractors and consultants, will focus on major tasks, including completing quality documentation, workforce training, installation and adjustment of mechanical and electrical systems, the construction of pedestrian overpasses, and safety evaluations.
The investor notes that several challenges still need to be resolved, such as delays in building entrances and exits to the Ben Thanh underground rail station, revisions to the design document for CP1a package (the underground section from Ben Thanh Station to HCMC Opera House), site clearance, and relocation of technical infrastructure for the CP2 package.
Previously, the prime minister issued Decision 65, approving the rescheduling of the Metro Line No. 1 project’s completion to the end of this year without any additional costs, as committed by the investor.
According to MAUR, the project’s delays are primarily due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and a lack of regulations and specifications regarding system safety certification and inconsistencies in legal frameworks.
The 19.7-kilometer Metro Line No. 1, spanning from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Long Binh depot, costs over VND 43,700 billion, equivalent to US$2 billion. The metro line includes three underground and 11 elevated stations and is the first urban railway in HCMC, part of the city’s overall metro system plan.
