VietNamNet Bridge – Ho Chi Minh City is looking for investors for phase two of its Metro line 5 (Bay Hien crossroads–Can Giuoc bus station), with a total capital requirement of up to $1.8 billion.



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Photo: Metro line 5 is about 17km long, running from the Saigon Bridge to Can Giuoc bus station (purple line). Photo: MAUR - HCMC

 

At a workshop on Tuesday, Mr. Tat Thanh Cang, director of the city’s Transportation Department, said the city will build eight metro routes and three tramcar routes. Construction of Metro lines 1 and 2 has commenced and the routes are scheduled for completion in 2018. The remaining routes are now in the research phase or calling for investment.

"HCM City has no experience in the construction of metro lines so it needs cooperation with the countries that have built this kind of public transportation," said Cang.

HCM City’s British Consul General, Mr. Douglas Barnes, said the British Consulate has been supporting British businesses in cooperation with Korean companies to invest in metro projects. The companies from both countries expressed their interest in the Metro line 5 project - phase two.

Introducing this project to foreign investors, Mr. Le Khac Huynh, deputy head of the HCM City Urban Railway Project Management Unit, said Metro line number 5 is to be connected to all other metro routes, except line 6.

The capital for the first phase (from Bay Hien crossroad to Saigon Bridge, nearly 9km long, with 9 stations) has been identified, with $850 million to be funded by the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Spanish government. The first phase will be kicked off next year.

The second phase of Metro line 5 will start from Can Giuoc bus station in Binh Chanh District and run to Bay Hien crossroad, totaling 14.5 km in length, with 13 stations. The total cost of this phase is estimated at $1.8 billion.

On Wednesday, some British and Korean businesses made a field survey of the Metro route 5.

As planned, HCM City will have six metro routes, as follows:

Route 1: Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien (20 km).

Route 2: Thu Thiem - Tay Ninh Bus Station (about 20 km).

Route 4: Nguyen Van Linh - Ben Cat Bridge (24 km)

Route 5: Saigon Bridge – Can Giuoc bus station (about 17 km)

Route 6: Ba Queo – Phu Lam roundabout (6 km).

Route 3, of 23km route, is split into two: Route 3A (Ben Thanh - Tan Kien) and Route 3B (Cong Hoa crossroads - Hiep Binh Phuoc).

Na Son