Hanoi: construction of first metro route to start in first quarter
According to a report of the Transport Minsitry, the investor of the Cat Linh – Ha Dong metro will be the Vietnam Railway Administration, with initial investment capital of VND 5.3 trillion (over USD 311 million). However, the capital was increased to over VND 8.7 trillion (over USD 511 million). The Deputy Prime Minister authorized to use an additional USD 100 million in China’s soft loan in this project.
The Cat Linh – Ha Dong route is around 13km with twelve overhead stations. The route will start from Cat Linh, in front of Horizon Hotel, through Hao Nam, Hoang Cau, Thai Thinh 1, Nga Tu So, Nguyen Trai, Tran Phu, Quang Trung, National Highway 6, and the new Ha Dong coach station.
The prime minister approved the pre-feasibility research of the Nhon – Hanoi Railway Station route. This project has a total investment of VND 19 trillion (over USD 1.11 billion) and is expected to be approved by the Hanoi People’s Committee this first quarter.
The route has a total length of 12.5km, with 9.6km overhead and 2.9km underground rail and eleven overhead and four underground stations. This route will use twenty metre metro trains, which can reach 80km per hour.
The route will start from Nhon through National Highway 32, Ho Tung Mau, Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Kim Ma, Nui Truc, Quoc Tu Giam, and the Hanoi Railway Station.
The Yen Vien – Ngoc Hoi invested by the Vietnam Railway Corporation, approved by the Transport Ministry in late-2008, is the largest metro route in Hanoi with a length of 25km.
The investor is organizing bids to choose consultants. The construction will begin in early 2012.
Under the plan to develop the transport system in Hanoi to 2020, approved by the prime minister last July, Hanoi will have five metro routes. Japan promised to assist the construction of the Yen Vien – Ngoc Hoi route.
