The PM paid a visit to the underground construction of S9 Station on Kim Ma street and rode on the route from S8 station at the University of Transport and Communications to the depot area in Bac Tu Liem district.
 |
| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits Nhon depot area in Bac Tu Liem district in Hanoi.__Photo: VNA |
Speaking to contractors and investors during the trip, PM Chinh listened to challenges to the progress and solutions to address these issues.
He also required stakeholders to make full efforts to meet the planned schedule, saying that there is no reason for delays as the capital has been fully allocated.
Following the field visit, PM Chinh chaired a meeting at the Government headquarters, which addressed the current obstacles relating to the Nhon-Hanoi station urban railway line.
The project spans 12.5 kilometers with a total capital of VND 32 trillion (USD 1.4 billion) and was set to be completed in 2015.
The meeting aims to pinpoint problems, responsibilities and issues related to funding and implementation, as the PM said the project could not be delayed any further.
PM Chinh suggested forming a specialized working group for the metro line, while adding that lessons must be learnt for urban railway development in Hanoi in the future.
75 percent completed
In the latest report on the project implementation, vice chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Duong Duc Tuan said that after 11 years of construction, all of the 10 bidding packages have been deployed, with the overall progress reaching approximately 75 percent.
As of July this year, over VND 568 billion (USD 24.3 million) of the project capital has been disbursed, equivalent to 17.2 percent of the plan.
The capital city’s People’s Committee also expressed concern over the delay in package CP05 of Hanoi Construction Corporation (Hancorp), which has caused a significant impact to the progress of construction above ground, and other equipment packages.
CP05 is an important package that concerns the urban railway operation and maintenance, which includes the central transport management building, train storage, electrical engineering, and other ancillary construction.
Land clearance is also facing challenges, with the 4-kilometre construction affecting the foundation of 50 buildings in the area.
There have also been complaints and disputes due to differences between the FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers) contracts and current Vietnamese laws.
Contractors for the CP03 package (underground stations and tunnels) have halted construction since August last year.
Vice Chairman Tuan said that in the working session between the city People’s Committee’s Chairman and project contractors, the committee has agreed to finish land clearance work and hand over the rest to contractors before October 15 this year.
The city will also make an advanced payment to a contractor for an implementation delay before August 28, negotiating appendices and following contract terms to resume construction the same month.-(VNS/VLLF)
