On December 5, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a meeting of the Government Standing Committee with the Ministry of Transport, the People's Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and relevant ministries and branches on the Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City urban railway system project.
According to the plan, the capital's urban railway system has a total length of about 413km, by 2035 the entire investment will be completed with an actual length of 410.8km; by 2045, an additional 200.7km will be completed.
By 2035, Hanoi will put into operation about 397.8km of urban railway, taking on 35-40% of the public passenger transport market share; after 2035, strive to put into operation about 200.7km more.
Capital demand for the period 2026-2030, Hanoi needs about 14.6 billion USD; for the period 2031-2035, about 22.57 billion USD is needed and for the period 2036-2045, capital demand for the construction of Hanoi urban railway is about 18.25 billion USD.
According to the draft project to adjust the General Planning of Ho Chi Minh City to 2040, with a vision to 2060, the urban railway system of Ho Chi Minh City includes 12 routes, including 10 metro lines with a total length of about 510km and 2 light rail lines (tramway/LRV) with a length of about 70km.
The goal is that by 2030, Ho Chi Minh City will have 31km of urban railway, transporting 15-20% of public passengers; by 2045, it will have 351km and transporting 40-50% of public passengers; by 2060, it will have 510km and transporting 50-60% of public passengers.
Concluding the conference, the Prime Minister requested that during the project development process, attention must be paid to decentralization and complete delegation of authority to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in organizing implementation, mobilizing resources and handling related issues.
Developing an urban railway system, including both elevated and underground, within the overall transport development of the whole country, especially in the above-mentioned city.
On that basis, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Transport, ministries, branches and Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to coordinate to perfect institutions, standards, criteria and processes related to urban railway development in particular and transport in general.
The Ministry of Transport completes the planning of urban railways in particular and transportation in general with a long-term vision, in a modern direction, in the spirit of "crossing rivers by building bridges, crossing mountains by digging mountains, crossing fields by dumping soil", avoiding residential areas, underground works, and socio-economic infrastructure to minimize site clearance, as well as impacts on residents, security, national defense, and other socio-economics.
The Prime Minister requested that urban railway construction should choose modern technology suitable to Vietnam's conditions; diversify resources including state resources, private resources, loans, and public-private partnerships.
At the same time, allocate resources and focus on training human resources to serve the development of the railway industry; research and apply science in management, operation, management and exploitation in a smart direction.
The Prime Minister directed the development of an investment project to build the urban railway system in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with completely innovative thinking, thinking, and working methods; modern standards, criteria, and processes to meet the new development period.
Along with that is the construction of urban railway lines, promoting technology transfer, developing the railway industry and the railway ecosystem in a fast, green, high-tech direction; proposing specific policy mechanisms in selecting consultants, supervisors, investors, contractors, ensuring transparency.
In the immediate future, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will urgently complete and submit to the Prime Minister the Master Plan for the construction of the Capital and Ho Chi Minh City before December 25, 2024 for consideration and approval, as a basis for development, including investment in the development of the urban railway system of the two cities.
The Prime Minister noted that ministries, branches and localities must coordinate closely, especially to prevent and combat negativity and corruption throughout the implementation of this important project.
