Construction of pedestrian overpasses to nine stations on metro line No. 1 is being speeded up to ensure completion by September, according to the HCM City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR). — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Construction of pedestrian overpasses to nine stations on metro line No. 1 is being speeded up to ensure completion by September, according to the HCM City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR).

The 19.7km line from Bến Thành Market in District 1 to Suối Tiên Theme Park in Thủ Đức City has 14 stations, three of which are underground.

The nine pedestrian overpasses are being built at Tân Cảng, Thảo Điền, An Phú, Rạch Chiếc, Phước Long, Bình Thái, Thủ Đức, Sài Gòn High-tech Park, and Việt Nam National University HCM City stations.

Among the final items of construction, they provide easier access to the stations from across Hà Nội Highway and from two streets running parallel to it.

According to MAUR, the staircases and bridges need to avoid other infrastructure such as power, telecom and water lines, drains, trees, and lights.

Most infrastructure has been relocated to enable the construction of bored piles, pile caps, columns, and bridge caps.

The contractor is installing large cross beams measuring 22 to 37 metres in length and weighing 46 to 75 tons, with the work being done from 10pm to 5am daily and in the mornings on weekends to avoid traffic disruptions.

The installation of beams at Thảo Điền Station was completed in last week.

It was a challenging task since it is close to 110kV power lines and complex traffic intersections near Sài Gòn Bridge.

Besides, the beams were brought on super-sized heavy vehicles whose weight the infrastructure there could not support.

Traffic through Đen Bridge has been temporarily halted, and a temporary bridge has been built above the existing structure for the passage of the giant vehicles.

MAUR targets completing by July five of the nine pedestrian bridges at Tân Cảng, Rạch Chiếc, Phước Long, Bình Thái, and Sài Gòn High-Tech park stations.

The ones at Thảo Điền and An Phú will be completed in August.

The remaining two, at Thủ Đức and Việt Nam National University-HCM City stations, will be finished in September.

They will be subject to fire safety and rescue inspections in the fourth quarter. — VNS