Cat Linh – Ha Dong elevated railway to begin test run in October hinh anh 1The Cat Linh - Ha Dong railway construction scene (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Cat Linh – Ha Dong elevated urban railway in Hanoi will begin its test run, expected to last between three and six months, on October 1.

After a brief hiatus for Tet festival, construction work on the railway resumed on February 2.

The same day, the China Railway Sixth Group Co, Ltd construction company and the Construction Ministry’s railway management board signed a commitment to speed up construction progress, ensure working safety and protect the environment.

According to head of the board Le Kim Thanh, the project has completed 13.05 km of tracks and prepared 13 trains. The first train is expected to reach Vietnam port on February 4.

The elevated railway project began in 2011 with investment of 552 million USD, of which 169 million USD came from Chinese official development assistance. In November 2014, it was announced the project would need a total of 868 million USD, 300 million USD more than initial estimates.

Linking Cat Linh Street in Dong Da district with Yen Nghia station in Ha Dong district, the project includes 12 stations and a depot at Phu Luong ward in Ha Dong district.

The elevated project has a length of about 13 km, while the depot in Ha Dong spans 19.6 hectares.

The railway is capable of operating 13 trains with carrier frequency of every two minutes with a maximum speed of 80 kilometres per hour.-VNA
VNA