HCMC – The HCMC Department of Transport has proposed developing more urban railways connecting to seaports and airports to meet the city’s development demand.
The proposal, which has been sent to the municipal Department of Zoning and Architecture, is aimed at meeting huge commuter demand and boosting HCMC’s connectivity with the neighboring provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong and Long An, the local media reported.
The HCMC Department of Transport suggested adding an express rail line which links terminals T1 and T2 and the planned Terminal T3 of the Tan Son Nhat International Airport and an express railway along Ring Road No. 2 and Pham Van Dong Street to shuttle passengers between Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh International Airports.
Also in the Tan Son Nhat International Airport area, a monorail connecting the second, fifth and fourth metro lines was proposed to replace the 3.2-kilometer metro line 4b project which had been planned earlier.
In addition, specialized railways linking container ports in Thu Duc City and along the Saigon River with adjacent provinces have been proposed. The area is now home to Cat Lai, Phu Huu and Truong Tho ports and the Long Binh inland clearance depot but has yet to have a specialized transport system.
Under the city’s general planning until 2040 with a vision to 2060 approved by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, the city’s population was forecast to reach 13-14 million people by 2040 and land for urban development will total 100,000-110,000 hectares.
HCMC is an important transport and digital infrastructure hub and has a strategic location in the southeastern region and the entire country.
