While the construction of Saigon’s first metro line has been riddled by delays, things are looking even gloomier for the next line which may take another decade to become a reality.
According to VnExpress city authorities are requesting permission from the prime minister to push back the start of construction on the 20-kilometer-long Ben Thanh-Tham Luong line that would run from Districts 1 to 12 to 2020.
Construction of the line, originally scheduled to begin in 2013 has stalled at the clearance phase that requires the resettlement of 679 families. City authorities hope to complete this process by August 2018.
In addition to missing its initial 2018 opening date, the cost of the project has nearly doubled from US$1.3 billion to US$2.1 billion. Numerous funding sources are expected for the second line with money coming from city coffers, the Asian Development Bank, German bank KfW, and the European Investment Bank.
Given the current pace, we’ll be waiting at least a few decades until Saigon’s eight-line master metro plan is realized. But hey, at least we’re getting river buses.
[Photo via Tuoi Tre]
