Hanoi to remove another 130 trees to make way for metro line

Hanoi authorities have announced a plan to remove another line of trees to make way for its Metro Line 3 linking Nhon and Hanoi Station.

The plan, approved by the city's construction department, would see 130 trees along Kim Ma Street from Thu Le Lake to the Nui Truc-Kim Ma intersection removed.

These crape myrtle trees next to Ngoc Khanh Parking Lot would be removed. Photo by VnExpress/DL.

35 of the trees would be cut down as they have been deemed rotten or unsuitable for urban areas.

The remaining 95 trees, including five African mahogany trees with diameters of 60-90 centimeters (23.6-35.4 inches), would be relocated to Vo Nguyen Giap Street.

The tree-felling project is expected to take about 45 days, starting from September 12.

Trees are frequent "victims" of urban development in Vietnam.

Hanoi in June announced a plan to cut down 1,000 decades-old trees for road expansion, after having cleared many for other road projects.

Last year, Hanoi removed 106 trees around Voi Phuc Temple, including many decades-old African mahogany trees along Thu Le Lake, also to make way for its Metro Line 3.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the tree chopping spree has been going on non-stop for the past three years since it started work on its first metro line, with hundreds of trees felled so far.

The remaining trees along Thu Le Lake that survived last year's tree-felling project would be relocated. Photo by VnExpress/Ba Do

The line, running 12.5 kilometers from Nhon to Ha Noi Station, is one of several metro lines planned for the capital's metropolitan area. Together they will form a rail network that can ease traffic congestion and reduce emissions.

Work on the line began in 2010, with the cost estimate originally set at $1.2 billion and operation scheduled in 2017. However funding delays have pushed the cost estimate to nearly $1.6 billion and may stretch the deadline to 2021.