Second Hanoi metro line misses deadline for 13th time

This is the 13th delay for the project that began in September 2010 and was originally slated for completion in 2015.

The most recent operational plan, announced by the Hanoi Urban Railway Management Board (MRB), was set for June.

According to Tien Phong newspaper, this plan was proposed after the operational progress of the trains in December, as directed by the prime minister, was not achieved.

Specifically, on Aug. 7, 2022, the Government Office issued a document stating: "The Prime Minister directs the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee to resolve the issues and put the elevated section of the Nhon - Hanoi Station Railway into operation by the end of 2023."

Following that missed deadline, a representative of the MRB told Tien Phong that the board was completing the final procedures to commence commercial operations (passenger transport) before June 30.

However, as of today, the Nhon – Hanoi metro has yet to take a single passenger.

An MRB representative stated that the construction of the elevated section has been completed and 10 passenger trains of the project have also completed trial runs.

In mid-June, the project received technical safety certification from the Vietnam Register for commercial operation as planned in the second quarter.

However, the project is currently being reviewed, inspected, and accepted by the relevant authorities to issue a safety certificate, after which it will be eligible for commercial operations along the elevated section.

With 13 delays over nine years, the Nhon – Hanoi Metro project is also the highest-cost overrun project among the urban railway projects under construction in Hanoi.

The approved investment at the start of the project was VND18.4 trillion (US$726 million) which is primarily funded by French Government ODA, but after several adjustments, the total investment has now increased to over VND30 trillion, an overspend of nearly 63%.

Previously, the Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway project experienced a six-year delay, a 45% cost overrun and 10 missed deadlines. The project started operation in November 2021 and remains the only functioning metro line in Vietnam.