A section of Cách Mạng Tháng 8 Street in Tân Bình District where HCM City’s metro line No.2 will pass through. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Linh

HCM CITY — The HCM City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR) has submitted a report to the city’s Department of Transport and other relevant agencies proposing the relocation and felling of 453 trees for the construction of the metro line No. 2 project.

Accordingly, 404 trees are slated to be cut down, while the remaining trees will be transplanted to alternative locations for preservation.

A MAUR officer said on Thursday that the underground stations of metro line No. 2 between Bến Thành Market in District 1 to Tham Lương Depot in District 12 are situated in densely populated areas, which requires the adjustment of underground and surface infrastructure.

The tree relocation and felling initiative aims to facilitate the relocation of underground technical infrastructure, reducing inconvenience for daily-life activities of residents.

In the initial phase, 49 trees would be relocated, and 24 trees would be felled within the excavation area to establish new space for technical infrastructure relocation.

Trees unaffected by construction within the existing sidewalk will be temporarily retained to provide shade until the completion of the underground stations, with a protection plan in place during construction.

Then, all trees within the construction boundary will be either felled or relocated, while those outside the boundary will be preserved and protected.

This initiative is overseen by a joint venture between Thảo Nguyên Xanh Construction Trading Company Limited and Green Space Construction Consulting Solutions Joint Stock Company, and expected to be completed in July.

However, according to construction design documents and estimates for metro line No. 2, many of the trees slated for removal exhibit poor growth rates and face risks associated with replanting.

Several trees are old and large, making them unsuitable for relocation due to their limited ability to recover or develop roots, which could adversely affect nearby living spaces.

MAUR has urged the contractor to explore additional solutions for relocating a number of the trees to the Tham Lương Depot for upkeep purposes.

The metro line No. 2 project is estimated to cost nearly VNĐ48 trillion (US$2 billion).

The line’s phase 1 will run more than 11km through districts 1, 3, 10, 12, Tân Bình and Tân Phú.

Some 9.3km will be underground, and there will be nine underground stations and one above ground, and a depot in District 12.

Ground was broken for technical infrastructure for HCM City’s metro line No. 2 on June 22 last year.

Construction of the whole route is expected to be completed by 2030. — VNS