A number of foreign experts have been permitted to enter Vietnam to continue undertaking the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro line, the first in Ho Chi Minh City, after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro line in Ho Chi Minh City
is scheduled for completion in late 2021. (Photo: MAUR)

According to the HCM City Management Authority for Urban Railway (MAUR), two experts from the Republic of Korea have resumed work on the project after completing a 14-day quarantine period as required. 

Another six Japanese experts are scheduled to fly to Vietnam on September 18 and will be quarantined for 14 days in line with regulations. They will be in charge of importing the first train of the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro line.

Metro Line No. 1 connecting Ben Thanh Market in the downtown area and Suoi Tien Theme Park in District 9 stretches 19.7 kilometers. It consists of a 2.6 km underground section and a 17.1 km elevated section. The project has three underground stations and 11 stations on land. 

Construction of the project began in 2012 and was planned for completion in 2017 and operation in 2018. However, its investment capital has been adjusted from initially approved US$1.09 billion to more than US$2 billion. 

In addition, a plan to import the first train for a test run in the third quarter has been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

The MAUR hopes the implementation of the project will be accelerated following the arrival of foreign experts.  

Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien is one of the six metro lines in HCM City. Line is expected to be open to traffic in late 2021.