The underground section of HCM City’s first metro line from Bến Thành Market in District 1 and Suối Tiên Theme Park in District 9. — VNS.Photo Ngọc Diệp

HCM CITY— A ceremony to mark the physical linking of the entire under-construction first metro line in HCM City between Bến Thành Market in District 1 and Suối Tiên Theme Park in District 9 was held on Monday.

Huỳnh Hồng Thanh, deputy head of the HCM City Management Authority for Urban Railways, said the Long Bình depot at the suburban theme park has been connected with the central terminal under the market in the downtown area both under and above ground.

The route includes 11 terminals, the other three being under the Bến Thành Market, the city theatre and Ba son. The underground section runs 2.6 kilometres.

The construction on the underground section began in August 2014.

The above-ground section was fully connected in June 2018, and the elevated track will be laid on the concrete pylons that have been installed.

The installation of the track, signals, electrical system, and others will start now.

Equipment will then be installed at the terminals to ensure 85 per cent of the project is finished by year end and the metro can start operating by next year’s end.

The completion rate now is 71 per cent.

It will run through districts 1, 2, 9, Bình Thạnh, and Thủ Đức and to the neighbouring Bình Dương Province and Đồng Nai Province. VNS