Waterway vehicles in HCM City (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi MinhCity plans to launch the first river bus transport service in June connecting BachDang Wharf in District 1 with Thu Duc district, and a second route in Septemberfrom Bach Dang Wharf to District 8.
The aim is to ease traffic congestion onroads, city authorities have said.
The project, invested in by Thuong Nhat LtdCo, will be carried out on the Saigon River, and at Thanh Da, Ben Nghe and TauHu canals.
The first route will connect Bach Dang Wharfon the Saigon River with Linh Dong ward in Thu Duc District. Nearly 11kilometres long, it runs along Saigon River and Thanh Da Canal with sevenstops.
The second route will run from Bach Dang Wharfto the Lo Gom area in District 8, along Saigon River, Ben Nghe and Tau Hucanals. It is nearly 10.3 kilometres long and has seven stops.
The ticket is expected to cost 15,000 VND (0.65USD) per ride, according to the company.
Thuong Nhat Ltd Co says in the first phaseit will have a fleet of 10 boats that can carry 60 passengers each. Together,the two services can serve 5,000 passengers per day.
Earlier, the city’s Department of Transportsubmitted to the municipal People’s Committee a project to build two river busroutes under a BOO (Build-Own-Operate) model.
The investor will build all passengerstations along the route except for the Bach Dang Wharf, where the investorproposes using existing facilities.
The company had initially planned to putthe service in operation in 2016, but had to delay the opening until this year.
Experts have said that it was time, afteryears of discussion, to make use of the network of waterways to reduceworsening traffic conditions.
The city, with a relatively dense networkof waterways, sees water transport as an appealing alternative for both localsand tourists.
Last year, city officials said that afloating market, among other waterway tourism services, will function as amajor attraction.
Bui Xuan Cuong, director of the Departmentof Transport, has stressed the need of developing waterway transport for bothpassengers and goods.-VNA
VNA
