HCM City accelerating work on bus rapid transit route hinh anh 1HCM City accelerates work on bus rapid transit route - Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) - A number of bidding packages under the Green Transport Development Project, to develop a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor in HCM City, are scheduled to be kick started in the fourth quarter of 2021, according to the HCM City Management Board for Traffic Works Construction and Investment.

Invested by the management board, the BRT project has total investment of over 121.2 million USD, lent from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), and nearly 423 billion VND (over 18.38 million USD) in reciprocal capital.

A high-quality bus route, called BRT No 1, will be built along the Vo Van Kiet - Mai Chi Tho Highway, with technical characteristics and quality of service similar to light BRT systems around the world, fully satisfying all of the requirements of smart traffic.

It is one of six BRT routes planned by the city’s government.

With a total length of 26 km, 28 stops, and two transfer stations, and passing through the districts of Binh Chanh, Binh Tan, 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8, between An Lac Roundabout and the Cat Lai Intersection, the route is hoped to increase connectivity with the existing bus network in the city and help cut travel times.

Luong Minh Phuc, head of the management board, said the bidding packages relate to the construction of pedestrian bridges and bus shelters along BRT No 1.

There will be about 42 buses with a capacity of 60-72 passengers each plying the route. The ticketing system will feature smart cards and NFC-based mobile ticketing.

Regarding the technical assistance project for HCM City’s green transport development, funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), a bidding plan has been approved by the World Bank and a plan on selecting contractors for the project was approved by the municipal People’s Committee in September last year, Phuc said./.
VNA