Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has urged Ho Chi Minh City and
neighbouring Dong Nai Province to speed up work on the Ho Chi
Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway and metro line No 1.
At a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on August 10, he said they are of
vital importance, so the Government has kept funding them despite the
economic turmoil.
He called on Ho Chi Minh City
and Dong Nai authorities to create the most favourable conditions to
complete them as soon as possible while also ensuring quality.
He praised the efforts made by Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai to
make clear and transparent plans for land acquisition and compensation
for the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway.
Construction of the 55-km expressway, which will connect Ho Chi Minh
City with the planned Long Thanh International Airport in
Dong Nai Province , began in October 2009.
It will have four lanes in the first phase scheduled for completion this year.
In the second phase, it will be widened to have eight lanes in the
24-km section from An Phu in District 2 to Long Thanh, and six lanes in
the remaining section to Dau Giay.
The expressway
will cost 932.4 million USD in the first phase, for which the Japan
International Cooperation Agency will provide a loan of over 516.5
million USD and the Asian Development Bank, 410.2 million USD.
During a trip to a construction site in Long Thanh District on the
same day, Hai told concerned agencies and authorities to clear obstacles
holding up site clearance, including paying compensation to households
whose lands were acquired.
As for the 19.7-km metro
line No 1, Hai appreciated the city's efforts to tackle difficulties
and hold a groundbreaking ceremony on August 28.
Preparatory work is complete after an EPC (engineering, procurement and
construction) contract to build the overhead section of the first metro
route was signed in May.
The first 2.6-km stretch, from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Ba Son Shipyard in District 1, will be underground.
Then it will go overhead from Ba Son Shipyard, passing through Van
Thanh and Tan Cang in Binh Thanh District and along the Ha Noi Highway
to Suoi Tien in District 9. There will be 11 stations.
The 19.7-km line is divided into three packages, the third being for
installation of machinery and electrical devices and maintenance.
The line will cost 47 trillion VND (2.25 billion USD), with 88.4
percent coming from Japanese official development assistance and the
rest coming from the city budget.
Construction is expected to be finished by 2017 and the line will become operational in 2018.-VNA