HÀ NỘI – Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng has urged relevant ministries and agencies to speed up construction of two key rail projects in Hà Nội.

The deputy PM wants the projects -- the Cát Linh-Hà Đông and the Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station urban elevated rail projects -- to be put into operation soon to reduce traffic congestion in the capital city.

These are among the first important urban rail projects of Hà Nội and the country aimed at encouraging people to use public transport instead of private vehicles. The Government has paid great attention to helping address difficulties during the execution of the project, yet construction has not been completed as scheduled.

Construction process of the projects was adjusted many times but still failed to meet required deadlines, hampering Hà Nội’s efforts to reduce traffic jams.

A recent inspection has revealed that the Cát Linh-Hà Đông project has completed 90 per cent of costruction work while the Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station project has completed some 30 per cent of construction work.

To ensure quality, safety and efficiency while working on the projects so that they can be put into operation soon, Deputy PM Dũng instructed the Ministry of Transport to continue directing the Management Board of the Cát Linh-Hà Đông elevated rail project and contractors to speed up the construction process, ensuring that all related equipment is installed before July 31, electricity services for the whole route are completed before September 1 and the project is put into trial operation on September 30.

The transport ministry is entrusted to choose an independent foreign consultant who is capable of assessing the whole project before and during the trial operation process. The project will undergo careful inspection before it is put into operation to ensure complete safety, according to the deputy prime minister.

With regard to the Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station metro rail project, the deputy PM asked Hà Nội’s authorities to undertake measures to resolve issues related to land clearance and the bidding process to create conditions for the implementation of the project.

He requested contractors and relevant agencies to ensure safety for workers, people and vehicles travelling near construction sites during the construction process. The transport ministry and the Hà Nội People’s Committee were asked to ensure relevant agencies strictly abided by labour safety, traffic safety, sanitation, fire prevention and control regulations, along with ensuring the project’s quality.

The Cát Linh-Hà Đông elevated railway project kicked off in November 2011, with an initial investment of US$552 million (including over $133 million from the Vietnamese Government).

The railway was scheduled to be put into operation in 2016. However, due to changes in the design plan and tardiness in land clearance, work on the project was delayed and investment in the project increased to some $250 million.

The project will have 12 stations and a depot linking Đống Đa District’s Cát Linh Street and Hà Đông District’s Yên Nghĩa bus station.

Each train will travel at an average speed of 35km per hour and a maximum speed of 80km per hour. The estimated time for each train to ferry passengers from Hà Đông to Cát Linh will be 24 minutes.

The Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station project has a total length of 12.5km, comprising an 8.5km aerial track that will connect Nhổn depot with Thủ Lệ Zoo and a 4km-long underground track that will link Thủ Lệ with the Hà Nội Railway Station.

The line will start at Nhổn and reach Cầu Giấy via National Highway 32 and Hồ Tùng Mậu and Xuân Thủy streets. It will also pass through Kim Mã, Núi Trúc and Quốc Tử Giám streets. The last stop will be the Hà Nội Railway Station at the T-junction of Lê Duẩn and Trần Hưng Đạo streets.

It is expected to be completed by 2018 and begin operations in 2019. – VNS