Workers carry out welding and fabrication of diaphragm wall steel cages at the Ring Road 1 Station, part of Urban Railway Line 5 (Văn Cao–Ngọc Khánh–Láng–Hòa Lạc) in July this year. — VNA/VNS Photo Trung Nguyên

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People's Committee is seeking public feedback on a draft resolution piloting a number of special and exceptional mechanisms and policies to invest in and construct seven key railway projects in the capital.

According to the draft, when the State recovers land to serve these projects, in addition to land compensation priced at up to twice the regulated rate, households whose residential land is recovered will be given priority in arranging temporary resettlement in accordance with city regulations.

Strategic contractors will be responsible for coordinating with local authorities and functional agencies to persuade households and organisations within the project scope to voluntarily hand over the site, in parallel with the processes of inventory, compensation, support and resettlement.

Beyond the site clearance mechanism, Hà Nội plans to apply special policies regarding contractor selection, investment procedures, capital mobilisation, technology testing and technology transfer, with the aim of shortening project implementation times.

The seven projects expected to apply this mechanism comprise two national railway lines and five urban railway lines. The two national railway projects are the realignment of the Phú Xuyên-Ngọc Hồi section of the existing Hà Nội–HCM City railway, and the Ngọc Hồi-Kim Sơn section of the Eastern Ring Railway.

The five urban railway projects are: Line 1 (Thượng Phúc–Railway Industrial Zone–Ngọc Hồi–Hà Nội Station–Yên Viên–Thư Lâm Multi-purpose Urban Area–Nội Bài Airport); Line 2 (Nội Bài Airport–Nam Thăng Long–Trần Hưng Đạo–Thượng Đình–Hùng Vương Stadium); Line 8 (Hòa Lạc–Sơn Đồng–Mai Dịch–Ring Road 3–Lĩnh Nam–Thuận An–Gia Bình Airport); Line 10 (Võ Chí Công–Ring Road 2.5–Vĩnh Tuy–Đông Anh); and Line 14 (Thăng Long Bridge–Hồng Hà–Gia Lâm–Nghĩa Trụ).

According to the draft, construction on the five urban railway lines began in June, with basic completion expected by 2030.

The two national railway projects broke ground on the National Day holiday on September 2, with completion expected by 2027.

'Strategic contractor' mechanism

To accelerate the projects, the Hà Nội People's Committee has proposed a 'strategic contractor’ mechanism. 

Under the draft, a strategic contractor is a selected domestic potential contractor. The potential contractor commits to being ready to carry out the capital's key railway projects and is designated by the municipal Party Committee's Executive Committee.

The contractor must participate throughout the implementation of tasks under contracts signed with the investor, fulfilling all obligations until all contractual responsibilities are completed.

Under the draft, strategic contractors will not be assessed for capacity, experience, technical or financial capability under the law on bidding.

The investor will complete contractor selection procedures via a streamlined direct appointment process.

Contractors proposed for direct appointment must meet eligibility requirements under the law on bidding.

Alongside this selection mechanism, the draft sets out pricing requirements.

Before signing the contract, the strategic contractor must commit to reducing the bid package price by at least 15 per cent compared with the approved price for local railway projects, including Transit-Oriented Development projects.

The minimum reduction for national railway projects is 10 per cent.

Contractors must also commit to carrying out the project on schedule and to the required quality standards, participating in the work according to the signed contract and not abandoning or unilaterally terminating the contract.

The draft also requires contractors to waive their right to sue or lodge complaints against the State or State agencies at the arbitration bodies or courts listed in the document.

According to the capital's 100-year master plan, Hà Nội's urban railway network will span approximately 979km. Including national and inter-regional railways, the entire system will total nearly 1,200km.

Currently, Hà Nội is operating the Cát Linh-Hà Đông line and the elevated section of the Nhổn-Hà Nội Station line. The city plans to invest in around 500km of urban railway by 2035, and to complete the remaining 479km during the 2036–45 period. — VNS