Phan Công Bằng, Director of the city’s Urban Railway Management Board, oversees work at the construction site. — Photo nguoiduatin.vn

HCM CITY — HCM City plans to start construction on its Metro Line 2 in January 2026, officials said on Thursday, as Việt Nam’s largest city pushes to ease chronic congestion by accelerating long-delayed upgrades to its strained urban transport network.

The Bến Thành–Tham Lương line, estimated to cost VNĐ47.8 trillion (US$1.8 billion), is expected to take nearly five years to build and enter service around 2030.

The project will be financed by both the central government and the city, which plans to spend about VNĐ10 trillion ($380 million) a year on the line.

Phan Công Bằng, Director of the city’s Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR), said contractors aim to secure municipal approval next month and break ground on 15 January 2026.

The timeline has been brought forward after the National Assembly earlier this year approved special rules allowing HCM City to bypass certain investment-approval steps and use direct contractor appointments.

Contractors estimate construction will take roughly 57 months for the 11km line, including 9km underground.

Before tunnelling can begin, the city must clear and relocate a dense network of utilities – sewer lines, power cables and water pipes – along major arteries such as Cách Mạng Tháng Tám and Trường Chinh. 

Contractors put up barriers near Lê Thị Riêng Park as they relocate utilities ahead of the metro line construction. — VNA/VNS Photo

MAUR began utility relocation in April and says more than 70 per cent of the work is complete. Some station sites have been fully cleared, though others remain held up by overlapping responsibilities among utility operators and by limits on night-time construction.

Crews can only access work sites after 11pm and must restore traffic flow by 4am, slowing progress. Heavy rains in recent months have added delays.

City officials say they intend to finish all clearance and utility relocation by the end of 2025 to keep the project on schedule.

Once completed, Metro Line 2 is expected to ease pressure on some of the city’s busiest corridors, linking the central Bến Thành area with the northwest and connecting with Line 1 toward Suối Tiên.

MAUR has submitted technical and regulatory documents to the city government, which is expected to forward them to the Ministry of Construction this week.

Remaining procedures, including the feasibility study, environmental assessment and technical design, are slated to finish between November and December 2025. — VNS