Graphic image of the C9 station gate on Đinh Tiên Hoàng Street. — Photo kinhtedothi.vn

HÀ NỘI — Due to difficulties in designing the C9 metro underground station located near Hà Nội’s Hoàn Kiếm (Sword) Lake, the construction of a metro line connecting Nam Thăng Long Station in the north of the city and Trần Hưng Đạo Street has been halted for 11 years.

Hà Nội People’s Committee has sent a report to Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on the station’s design and construction plan, Kinh tế Đô Thị (Economic and Urban Affairs) newspaper has reported.   

According to the submitted plan, the C9 station will be built on the largest section of Hoàn Kiếm Lake’s bank under the flower garden on Đinh Tiên Hoàng Street with three floors, including a concourse, a technical area and a platform level.

The shortest distance from the station to Hoàn Kiếm Lake will be 10m. According to the initial design, the station will have four gates.

The plan has not been approved because of concerns raised by Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism regarding the protected area of Hoàn Kiếm Lake relics regulated in the Law on Cultural Heritage.

The research and consultancy agency has given scientific evidence, assuring that the station’s construction and operation will not cause subsidence and other impacts.

Auxiliary systems and gates will be constructed in the area belonging to Vietnam Electricity’s headquarter on Đinh Tiên Hoàng Street to avoid land clearance issues.

The plan is thought to be the most efficient as it does not require land clearance, reducing the risk of further delay. Appropriate routes also minimise construction expenses.

The third gate will replace the current public toilets, helping to improve the lake’s surroundings.

Located near the Old Quarter, the C9 underground station is expected to ease traffic congestion in Hà Nội’s downtown.

A survey on Hà Nội residents and tourists in March last year found 90.3 per cent of people agreed with having an underground station near Hoàn Kiếm Lake.

The city People’s Committee has asked the Government to approve the plan and pledged to ensure safety for the special national relic of Hoàn Kiếm Lake during the construction of C9 station.

The Nam Thăng Long – Trần Hưng Đạo metro project will use official development assistance from Japan and reciprocal capital. Although the project has not been implemented, its investment capital has been adjusted from VNĐ19.5 trillion (US$838.5 million) to VNĐ35.6 trillion ($1.53 billion).

It is part of metro line No. 2 connecting Nội Bài International Airport and the city centre and spanning 11.5km.

The entire metro line is planned to have 10 stations, including three elevated stations and seven underground stations.

If they are all built, metro line No. 2 will connect with line No.1, Ngọc Hồi – Như Quỳnh, at C8 station on Hàng Đậu Street and line No. 3, Nhổn – Hoàng Mai, at station C10 on Hàng Bài Street.  — VNS