HCMC’s much-delayed metro fills with trash, graffiti

By Quynh Tran   June 17, 2022 | 05:30 am PT
With Ho Chi Minh City’s first metro line project dragging on for years, garbage, graffiti and flyers are strewn all over the place.
HCMC’s much-delayed metro fills with trash, graffiti

A landfill under an elevated section of HCMC's Metro Line No.1 near Binh Thai Intersection in Thu Duc City.

Landfills of various sizes have been formed along the metro line, which runs 19.7 km between Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Suoi Tien Theme Park in Thu Duc.

HCMC’s much-delayed metro fills with trash, graffiti

Pieces of classified ads promoting a loan shark service are plastered under a sign to ban littering at a metro pier in Thao Dien Ward.

"I see that every once in a while, people would come to spray graffiti and stick ads on these metro piers. The situation has been going on for many years, since this elevated section took shape," said a local named Phuoc.

HCMC’s much-delayed metro fills with trash, graffiti

Sanitation workers leave trash carts under the metro line in Thao Dien Ward of Thu Duc City. The line has three underground stations and 11 on the surface.

HCMC’s much-delayed metro fills with trash, graffiti

A scrap vendor takes a break by a garbage heap under the metro’s elevated section in Thao Dien as workers have a drink at a makeshift coffee shop. A phone number for a bike repair service was painted on the pier.

HCMC’s much-delayed metro fills with trash, graffiti

A graffiti on a metro pier in Binh Thanh District.

HCMC’s much-delayed metro fills with trash, graffiti

Graffiti on three other piers in Binh Thanh District.

HCMC’s much-delayed metro fills with trash, graffiti

Graffiti runs along a fence that stretches 200 meters under an elevated station of the metro in Thu Duc.

HCMC’s much-delayed metro fills with trash, graffiti

A sign that bans painting on the fence of the metro.

To cost over VND43.7 trillion ($1.89 billion), HCMC’s Metro Line No.1 is now more than 90 percent complete. Work began on the line, the first such project in the city, in August 2012. It was set to be completed in six years.

After a decade, the city is hoping it would become operational next year.

 
 
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