Hanoi seeks approval on underground station near Hoan Kiem Lake

Due to difficulties in designing C9 metro underground station located near Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake, the construction of a metro line connecting Nam Thang Long Station in the north of the city and Tran Hung Dao Street has been halted for 11 years.
Hanoi seeks approval on underground station near Hoan Kiem Lake ảnh 1Graphic image of the C9 station gate on Dinh Tien Hoang street (Photo: kinhtedothi.vn)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Due to difficulties in designing C9metro underground station located near Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake, the construction of a metro line connecting Nam Thang Long Station in the north of the city and Tran Hung Dao Streethas been halted for 11 years.

The Hanoi People’s Committee has sent a report to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on thestation’s design and construction plan, Kinh te Do thi (Economic and Urban Affairs) newspaperhas reported.  

According to the submitted plan, the C9 station will be built on thelargest section of Hoan Kiem Lake’s bank under the flower garden on Dinh Tien Hoang Street with three floors, including aconcourse, a technical area and a platform level.

The shortest distance from the station to Hoan Kiem Lake will be 10m. According to theinitial design, the station will have four gates.

The plan has not been approved because of concerns raised by Ministry ofCulture, Sport and Tourism regarding the protected area of Hoan Kiem Lake relics regulated in the Law onCultural Heritage.

The research and consultancy agency has given scientific evidence,assuring that the station’s construction and operation will not causesubsidence and other impacts.

Auxiliary systems and gates will be constructed in the area belonging toVietnam Electricity’s headquarter on Dinh Tien Hoang Street to avoid land clearanceissues.

The plan is thought to be the most efficient as it does not require landclearance, reducing the risk of further delay. Appropriate routes also minimiseconstruction expenses.

The third gate will replace the current public toilets, helping toimprove the lake’s surroundings.

Located near the Old Quarter, the C9 underground station is expected toease traffic congestion in Hanoi’s downtown.

A survey on Hanoi residents and tourists in March last year found 90.3 percentof people agreed with having an underground station near Hoan Kiem Lake.

The municipal People’sCommittee has asked the Government to approve the plan and pledged to ensuresafety for the special national relic of Hoan Kiem Lake during the construction of C9 station.

The Nam Thang Long – Tran Hung Dao metroproject will use official development assistance from Japan and reciprocalcapital. Although the project has not been implemented, its investment capitalhas been adjusted from 19.5 trillion VND (838.5 million USD) to 35.6 trillion VND (1.53 billion USD).

It is part of metro line No. 2 connecting Noi Bai International Airport and the city centre and spanning 11.5km.

The entire metro line is planned to have 10 stations, including threeelevated stations and seven underground stations.

If they are all built, metro line No. 2 will connect with line No.1, Ngoc Hoi – Nhu Quynh, at C8 station on Hang Dau Street and line No. 3, Nhon – Hoang Mai, at station C10 on Hang BaiStreet./.
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