HCM City strives to complete first metro project in 50 days

Metro line 1 will be completed all necessary work and procedure to begin commercial operations by December 22. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The HCM City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR) launched the Fifty Days and Nights to Complete Metro Line 1 (Bến Thành-Suối Tiên) campaign on October 28.

The city launched the campaign on Monday to finalise all necessary work and procedures to begin commercial operations of metro line No. 1 by December 22.

The move came following directions from the city government to get the line operating by the end of this year after several delays.

Speaking at the event, head of MAUR Phan Công Bằng stated they would work with Metro Line 1 Co., Ltd. until December 20 to complete a large, complex workload and address unresolved issues.

From now until December 20, the MAUR and the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No. 1 Company Limited (HURC1) will coordinate with all stakeholders to complete the remaining items and procedures.

The project's main phases have been completed after about 12 years of construction, including equipment installation and training of drivers and staff.

Bằng stressed: "All relevant units will work without a day off during the campaign to ensure its success."

HCM City authorities started a two-month trial run for the metro line since October 1.

MAUR added that the line would run 200 trips between 5am and 10pm during the first six months of commercial operation.

After that, the line will operate from 5am to 11pm, with 276 trips daily between Monday and Friday. On weekends and holidays, the number of trips will fall to 226.

The route is 19.7 kilometres long, including 2.6km of underground railway and 17.1km of elevated track.

It runs from Bến Thành Market in District 1 to Suối Tiên Theme Park in Thủ Đức City, through three underground stations and 11 stops above ground.

The line has a total of 17 trains, each capable of accommodating 930 passengers, including 147 sitting and 783 standing. — VNS