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Jun 07, 2018 / 10:09

Construction of Hanoi Metro line 3 still behind schedule

The delay is due to land clearance difficulties in some underground sections.

Until now, the Hanoi metro line 3 connecting Nhon and Hanoi station has made 43% to its completion, according to an announcement by the Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board (MRB), on June 6.
 
Construction model of Metro Line 3. Photo: MRB
Construction model of Metro Line 3. Photo: MRB

Accordingly, the design, construction of underground section and stations are progressing at a sluggish pace with almost all the factors undone due to site clearance problems.
Four months constructing the bidding package of underground facilities, the most progressive outcome is the roadblocks built around areas of S9 and S10, while traffic streaming takes place in Kim Ma and Cat Linh, which are bustling downtown streets.
Construction work is currently 6-11% complete on the components related to the metro and equipment while 83% of that in elevated sections has been done, cited MRB.
The metro line had been scheduled to complete by the third quarter of 2020, given that the project would encounter no problems in key components such as underground sections. Due to land acquisition unresolved, the completion and operation of the metro line now will extend to first quarter of 2023, affirmed MRB.
Around 1,000 workers are working hard now to hasten the progress, according to French consulting firm Systra.
The Line 3 construction is part of the Hanoi urban sky train project, which will operate overhead for 8.5km and underground for an additional 4km. It had been initially expected to be completed by 2017 and begin operating in 2019.
In early 2017, the city authority announced its delay to 2021 and MRB in April said the city pushed the contractor to bring the railway into operation in 2022.
The total investment poured in the project, suffering two cost overruns, has soared to nearly VND36 trillion, equivalent to more than US1.5$ billion.