Chinese experts resume delayed work on Vietnam’s Hanoi metro line
After undergoing a 14-day quarantine period to prevent Covid-19 before entering Vietnam, a group of 23 Chinese experts has begun to work on the long-delayed Cat Linh – Ha Dong urban railway in Hanoi.
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Two weeks ago, these Chinese experts arrived in Vietnam. After that, they were immediately placed into quarantine in Ha Dong. They have tested negative for the Covid-19 and meet the necessary requirements to return to work, said a representative of the Project Management Board.
The first task of the experts will be to conduct all incomplete work and handle relevant paperwork ahead of the metro line running on a trial basis, according to VOV.
“However, nobody knows exactly when the test-run will be conducted as we have to wait for all Chinese experts and French consultants to come here and examine the project,” the representative outlined.
“We do not know either when exactly they will come because the COVID-19 pandemic is currently evolving in a complex manner in a number of countries. We do hope however that they will return to Vietnam this month.”
According to the Ministry of Transport, Hanoi Urban Railway Project, Cat Linh – Ha Dong line has now basically completed the workload of construction and equipment installation. The rest of the work is mainly to complete the scene, beautify and repair a number of pieces of equipment to operate the whole system, modify and complete the profile to handover the project.
Mr. Vu Hong Truong – General Director of Hanoi Railway Co., Ltd. (Metro Hanoi) said that currently the work is conducted by the Railway Project Management Board (Ministry of Transport) and EPC General Contractor, Lao Dong reported.
The Cat Linh – Ha Dong urban metro line was first granted approval by the Ministry of Transport in October 2008, and received a total capitalization of more than VND 12.86 trillion (USD 552 million). The line runs more than 13km from Cat Linh station in Dong Da district to Yen Nghia station.
The project first got off the ground in October 2011, and was scheduled for completion in 2013. Construction has been postponed several times due to loan disbursement problems. Its investment cost overrun to VND 18,000 trillion (USD 868 million) including USD 669.6 million in official development assistance loan from China.
Last month, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the Ministry of Transport, Hanoi municipal administration and general contractors to speed up the progress on the line to assure that the project will be put into commercial operation this year.
Source: https://vietnamtimes.org.vn/chinese-experts-resume-delayed-work-on-hanoi-metro-line-22050.html
