HCM City will focus on speeding up major transport projects this year. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City will focus on speeding up major transport works this year. 

Phan Văn Mãi, chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said they include Ring Road No 3, metro line Nos 1 and 2, the HCM City-Mộc Bài Expressway, widening of National Highway No 50, and renovation of the Xuyên Tâm Canal.

Ring Road No 3, considered a key and urgent traffic project, will run 76.3km through HCM City and the southern provinces of Đồng Nai, Bình Dương and Long An.

It is expected to cost VNĐ75.4 trillion (US$3.2 billion) and run 47.5km in the city through Thủ Đức City and the districts of Củ Chi, Hóc Môn and Bình Chánh.

The first metro route will run nearly 20km, including 2.6km underground, between Bến Thành Market in District 1 and Suối Tiên Theme Park in Thủ Đức City.

A test run was conducted on an elevated section between Suối Tiên and Bình Thái stations in Thủ Đức City in December, and the line is expected to become operational at the end of this year.

It is expected to cost VNĐ43.7 trillion.

The second line will run between Bến Thành Market in District 1 and Tham Lương Depot in District 12, and is budgeted to cost VNĐ47.9 trillion.

The 48km route will go through districts 1, 3, 10, 12, Tân Bình, and Tân Phú.

Its first phase will be a 11.3km stretch, including 9.3km below ground.

The city plans to start work this year and finish it in 2028. 

The HCM City-Mộc Bài Expressway will connect the city with the international border gate with Cambodia in Tây Ninh Province.

It will have a total length of 53.5km, including 23.7km in HCM City, and cost VNĐ16.7 trillion ($707.8 million) to build.

The renovation of the 8.2km Xuyên Tâm Canal with an estimated cost of VNĐ9.3 trillion has been delayed for years and is also one of the city's urgent projects in 2021-25 period. 

The canal and its environs will be cleaned up, and 6,500 households living on its banks will be relocated.

The city would also focus on speeding up public spending, improving public services, strengthening administrative reform, tackling inflation, and stabilising the economy, Mãi said.

It would improve the business climate to attract investments, he added.

The country’s largest city expects to face challenges from the global turmoil this year, and so has cut its growth target to 7.5-8 per cent. — VNS