Metro Line No. 2 is not only a transportation project, but also an affirmation of the determination to develop modern and sustainable infrastructure of a city of more than 10 million people.
People in Ho Chi Minh City are happy because they have been waiting for the commencement date of this metro line for a long time. But along with the joy is the expectation that the project will be completed on schedule, achieve quality, and not repeat the expensive lessons of the past.
Metro Line 2 is nearly 11.27 km long, with a total investment of more than 55,000 billion VND from the city budget, expected to be completed and put into operation by the end of 2030.
The full use of domestic capital shows financial proactiveness, while also posing very high requirements for project management capacity, construction organization and risk control.
Reality shows that after Metro Line 1 Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien went into operation, people in Ho Chi Minh City quickly formed the habit of using modern public transport.
Metro is not only fast, safe, and on time, but also contributes to reducing pressure on ground traffic and improving the quality of urban life. That effectiveness makes the expectations for Metro Line 2 and the following routes even greater.
A noteworthy point is that for Metro Line 2, the EPC contractor consortium led by Truong Hai Group (Thaco) as the general contractor is a welcome sign.
Over the years, Vietnamese businesses have gradually affirmed their capabilities in fields requiring high technical level such as mechanical engineering, large infrastructure construction, logistics, and supply chain management.
The deep participation of Vietnamese businesses in the metro project is not just a story of constructing a project, but a strategic step to master technology, gradually forming the domestic urban railway industry.
If previously, metro projects mainly depended on loans and foreign contractors, now Vietnamese businesses taking on the role of general contractors opens up a new approach, reducing dependence, increasing proactiveness, and maintaining added value for the domestic economy.
From tunnel construction, stations, depots to supplying materials, equipment, and human resource training, all are opportunities for domestic businesses to participate, learn and grow.
However, trust must go hand in hand with a strict monitoring mechanism. Metro is a complex project, requiring discipline in progress, technical standards and safety at a very high level.
The success of Metro Line 2 is not only measured by the inauguration date, but also by stable, safe, and effective operation for many decades afterwards.
