MAUR said the construction completion date of the first urban railway project of the southern city should be pushed back to next year.

MAUR recently submitted a request to the HCMC People’s Committee for another extension of the project.

Early this year the prime minister set the end of 2023 as the time for the completion of Metro Line 1 construction without additional costs. Later HCMC Vice Chairman Bui Xuan Cuong signed a decision saying construction work should be finished by the end of the third quarter and the entire project should be completed in the period between 2024 and 2028.

Accordingly, the time for maintenance by contractors is from 2024 to 2025 and that for operation support and maintenance from 2024 to 2028.

In the latest proposal, MAUR said the extension would prevent negative impacts on the project’s implementation process, and facilitate the registration of a public investment capital plan and capital allocation for the project in 2024.

The project is now 96.5% complete. MAUR expects payment and finalization of construction contracts to conclude early next year.

The 19.7-kilometer Metro Line No. 1 will connect Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Suoi Tien Theme Park in Thu Duc City. The total cost of the project is over VND 43,700 billion, equivalent to US$2 billion.

The metro line has three underground and 11 elevated stations.

Source: Saigon Times