Trains of Nhổn-Hà Nội Metro have not yet carried any passengers due to delays in the project. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI - The Nhổn-Hà Nội Urban Railway (metro) project has yet to transport any passengers, despite plans to commence commercial operations in June.

This is the thirteenth delay for a project that began in September 2010 and was originally slated for completion in 2015.

However, after 14 years of construction, the urban railway line can still not carry passengers.

The most recent operational plan, announced by the Hà Nội Urban Railway Management Board (MRB), was set for June.

According to tienphong.vn, this plan was proposed after the operational progress of the trains in December, as directed by the Prime Minister, was not achieved.

Specifically, on August 7 2022, the Government Office issued a document stating: "The Prime Minister directs the Chairman of the Hà Nội People's Committee to resolve the issues and put the elevated section of the Nhổn - Hanoi Railway into operation by the end of 2023."

Following that missed deadline, a representative of the MRB told tienphong.vn that the board was completing the final procedures to commence commercial operations (passenger transport) before 30 June.

However, as of today, the Nhổn – hà Nội metro has yet to take a single passenger.

An MRB representative stated that the construction of the elevated section has been completed one hundred per cent and ten passenger trains of the project have also completed trial runs.

In mid-June, the project received technical safety certification from the Việt Nam Register for commercial operation as planned in the second quarter.

However, the project is currently being reviewed, inspected, and accepted by the relevant authorities to issue a safety certificate, after which it will be eligible for commercial operations along the elevated section.

With 13 delays and a nine-year delay in making any progress, the Nhổn – Hà Nội Metro project is also the highest-cost overrun project among the urban railway projects under construction in Hà Nội.

The approved investment at the start of the project was VNĐ18,408 billion (US$726 million) which is primarily funded by French Government ODA, but after several adjustments, the total investment has now increased to over VNĐ30,000 billion, an overspend of nearly 63 per cent.

Previously, the Cát Linh - Hà Đông urban railway project experienced a six-year delay, a 45 per cent cost overrun and ten missed deadlines. VNS