Questions left unanswered in Hanoi monorail debate
Many factors need to be taken into consideration before any decision on building a monorail in Hanoi is made.
Many factors need to be taken into consideration before any decision on building a monorail in Hanoi is made.
The above statement was made by the head of the Institute of Transport Planning and Management, Khuat Viet Hung, at a workshop to review a plan to build a monorail route that would run overhead from West Lake to the end of Lang-Hoa Lac Highway , submitted by the VietnamConstruction Import-Export Corporation (Vinaconex) last month.
"Normally, a rail system is supposed to serve the region for at least 100 years from the time it comes into operation. In the long run, whether this monorail route is able to maintain its viability in the context of the rapid development of Hanoi is a question worth considering," he said.
"On the other hand, with current public transportation, buses, although subject to several shortcomings including traffic jams, allow for greater flexibility," he added. "This means their operating routes can be adjusted at any time to meet changing socio-economic developments and needs."
If approved, this project, at a cost projection of 5.8 trillion VND (302 million USD), would build the first monorail line totalling 38km and 14 stops on its main route, with a high flow of traffic in the western areas of Hanoi, according to head of Vinaconex Xuan Mai's monorail project Tran Quang Viet Ha.
Ha said that the main advantages of the monorail compared to other means of public transportation—including light rail and metro lines—are that less investments are needed, there are no requirements of large-scale site clearances and it would be quieter during operation.
"The expense to build one kilometre of monorail, as we estimate, is about 8 million USD, while building one kilometre of a conventional rail along the same route is reported to be 43.5 million USD," he said.
Director of the Vietnam Architecture Institute Ngo Doan Duc said the design of the monorail routes has to ensure that it would fit in with the overall transport network and urban landscape, especially in the case of Hanoi , which is home to many cultural and historic monuments and landmarks.
Institute head Hung said the design of the monorail project has to be very carefully drafted in a scientific way.
"Many experts have agreed that the monorail's passenger capacity is only equal to 10 to 40 percent of that of a metro line. Thus, I doubt that a monorail alone could meet the target for public transportation needs, particularly at the ever-busy West Lake-Lang/Hoa Lac Highway route."
Hung said the project investors have not been clear about the fares either, noting that the monorail is expected to serve low-income earners. "Would it be affordable enough to be competitive with buses? Or would the Government need to subsidise it to a large extent?" he asked.
Before Hanoi , HCM City and Can Tho also considered building monorails to alleviate traffic jams./.
The above statement was made by the head of the Institute of Transport Planning and Management, Khuat Viet Hung, at a workshop to review a plan to build a monorail route that would run overhead from West Lake to the end of Lang-Hoa Lac Highway , submitted by the VietnamConstruction Import-Export Corporation (Vinaconex) last month.
"Normally, a rail system is supposed to serve the region for at least 100 years from the time it comes into operation. In the long run, whether this monorail route is able to maintain its viability in the context of the rapid development of Hanoi is a question worth considering," he said.
"On the other hand, with current public transportation, buses, although subject to several shortcomings including traffic jams, allow for greater flexibility," he added. "This means their operating routes can be adjusted at any time to meet changing socio-economic developments and needs."
If approved, this project, at a cost projection of 5.8 trillion VND (302 million USD), would build the first monorail line totalling 38km and 14 stops on its main route, with a high flow of traffic in the western areas of Hanoi, according to head of Vinaconex Xuan Mai's monorail project Tran Quang Viet Ha.
Ha said that the main advantages of the monorail compared to other means of public transportation—including light rail and metro lines—are that less investments are needed, there are no requirements of large-scale site clearances and it would be quieter during operation.
"The expense to build one kilometre of monorail, as we estimate, is about 8 million USD, while building one kilometre of a conventional rail along the same route is reported to be 43.5 million USD," he said.
Director of the Vietnam Architecture Institute Ngo Doan Duc said the design of the monorail routes has to ensure that it would fit in with the overall transport network and urban landscape, especially in the case of Hanoi , which is home to many cultural and historic monuments and landmarks.
Institute head Hung said the design of the monorail project has to be very carefully drafted in a scientific way.
"Many experts have agreed that the monorail's passenger capacity is only equal to 10 to 40 percent of that of a metro line. Thus, I doubt that a monorail alone could meet the target for public transportation needs, particularly at the ever-busy West Lake-Lang/Hoa Lac Highway route."
Hung said the project investors have not been clear about the fares either, noting that the monorail is expected to serve low-income earners. "Would it be affordable enough to be competitive with buses? Or would the Government need to subsidise it to a large extent?" he asked.
Before Hanoi , HCM City and Can Tho also considered building monorails to alleviate traffic jams./.
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