Nhổn-Hà Nội Station metro line on a trial run in late 2022. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội’s authorities have proposed delaying the opening of Nhổn-Hà Nội Station metro line’s elevated section until August 2023.

It was due to go into operation at the end of 2022.

The municipal People’s Committee planned to complete the Nhổn depot in May this year and hand over the system and safety certificate in August the same year.

A total of 57 operation and maintenance scenarios will be carried out in eight weeks from May to the end of June following the train schedule (three shifts per day, seven days a week).

The city’s authorities blamed the delay on limited capacity of contractors, investors and consultant units as well as improper cooperation of relevant agencies.

Other reasons come from problems related to regulations, standards, unit prices, railway materials and equipment.

The city’s authorities also proposed delaying the operation deadline of the whole metro line until 2027, which is predicted to increase the construction costs. Additional investment capital expenditure is proposed to increase by about VNĐ1.9 trillion (US$80.5 million), reaching over VNĐ34.8 trillion ($1.4 billion). 

The metro line’s expenditure was adjusted by almost twice in 2014 from over VNĐ18 trillion to nearly VNĐ33 trillion.

About 75.6 per cent of the railway project has been completed with 97.6 per cent of elevated section and 33 per cent of the underground section finished.

The project continues to face difficulties in construction, payment for the completed volume to contractors because the procedures for adjusting investment policy have not been completed before December 31, 2022 as planned.

Three out of nine contractors have sent documents asking for construction suspension from early February 2023.

The city’s authorities said if the contractor's suspension of construction is not resolved soon, it will delay the whole project progress, including the test run deadline in June 2023, commercial operation in August 2023 and full line running in 2027.

The underground contractor suspended construction for more than a year from July 2021 till the end of 2022. The city People's Committee and the Hà Nội Urban Railway Management Board did not inform them about the cost of compensation to the contractor due to delaying the site.

During a meeting of the city People’s Council by the end of 2022, Dương Đức Tuấn, vice chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said that the fine for late site handover was about VNĐ6 trillion.

The Nhổn-Hà Nội Station metro line covers 12.5 km, passing through eight elevated stations and four underground stations. The elevated section of Nhổn – Cầu Giấy covers 8.5km and the underground section of Cầu Giấy-Hà Nội Station covers 4 km long.

The depot located in Nhổn has an area of 15 hectares.

The metro line project started in 2009, was due to be completed in 2015, but after four delays, the new deadline is expected to be 2027. — VNS