After nearly a decade of planning and construction, Hanoi’s first metro line will begin trial operations in October.
Officials in the capital announced the expected start date of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong line’s trial run earlier this week, reports Vietnam Investment Review (VIR). If all goes according to plan, the train will be officially up and running by the first quarter of 2018.
General director of the Railway Project Management Unit (PMU) Le Kim Thanh told VIR the project is now 90% complete, including the line’s depots, stations and girders.
Moving forward, the metro’s management board will purchase additional, unspecified equipment for the Cat Linh-Ha Dong route and begin installing the new equipment by July of this year. The finishing touches on all stations and depots will be completed by the end of March, and the railway will be connected to the grid in September, one month before trial operations begin.
Hanoi has also purchased 13 trains for its inaugural metro line, which are set to arrive in the coming days.
Officials expect the trial period to last between three and six months, depending upon the initial success of the train.
Hanoi’s Cat Linh-Ha Dong line was initially scheduled to debut in December 2016 but was later delayed. As late as September of last year, city officials approved an additional US$251 million in funding for the line, as well as plans to construct a controversial station near Hoan Kiem Lake.
[Photo via Zing]
