From 2015, Hanoi Residents Can Travel by Sky Train
Such information was released by Mr Tran Van Luc, Director of the Railway Project Management Unit (Vietnam Railway Administration, Ministry of Transport) at the press meeting held by Hanoi Department of Propaganda and Training on May 21.
Thus, if there is no delay in progress, by mid-2015, Hanoi residents will be able to use the sky train for their travel. However, the plan is at risk due to difficulties in the project site clearance activities.
Site clearance issues obstructing key works
The Railway Project Management Unit for the Cat Linh – Ha Dong urban sky train said the project is at risk of having its progress delayed against required after one year of construction due to difficulties in site clearance in Ha Dong, Dong Da and Thanh Xuan districts.
“The package of construction of girder casting site and soil treatment in the Depot is behind schedule by about 2 months at maximum”, said Mr Tran Van Luc.
It is reported that the Hanoi urban sky train project, route 2A Cat Linh – Ha Dong, was initiated on October 10, 2011 and expected to be completed by late 2014, put into pilot operation in early 2015 and by Quarter I 2015 it will be officially operational.
At present, the implemented works include 252 bridge piers (57 percent of the total), 73 percent of the piles, 57 percent of the base plates and completion of 50 percent of soil treatment volume as well as levelling of 8.2 ha in the depot. Meanwhile, the contractors are also constructing the substructure of 5 stations including: La Thanh, ring road 3, Thanh Xuan 3, Ha Dong, La Khe etc.
However, the project is facing the risk of being unable to be completed by the deadline, due to difficulties in site clearance activities including relocation of Van Noi Cemetery in Ha Dong district, hand-over of landmarks for site clearance in Dong Da and Thanh Xuan districts, laying underground high-voltage electric lines along route La Thanh – Lang, etc.
“The project’s current biggest difficulty is that site clearance has been done for only 9.2 out of 13.5 km. The work related to 110KV and 220KV electric lines along the route from La Thanh station to Lang road hasn’t been completed”, said Mr Luc.
Attending the meeting, Mr Nguyen Truong Son, Vice Chairman of Ha Dong district People’s Committee said that to speed up the project progress, the site clearance activity in the district is carried at the fastest pace. However, there are some certain difficulties in relocation of graves in Van Noi Cemetery.
So that the site clearance will be completed soon to speed up the project progress, Mr Son recommended that the Railway PMU should allocate adequate funds in accordance with schedule of compensation payment, provide support so that the project would be primarily completed in June and finished in 2013.
