Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed relevant agencies to complete the construction of Ho Chi Minh City’s first metro line by National Day, September 2.

He made the request while taking a test run on a train from Rach Chiec Station to Suoi Tien Station, part of the Metro Line No. 1 project (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien), on April 15.

The metro line runs 19.7km from Ben Thanh Station in District 1 to Long Binh Depot in Thu Duc city.

It has total capital of VND43.7 trillion ($1.82 billion). Construction began in 2012 and over 94 per cent of the work has been completed.

On the same day, Prime Minister Chinh visited the construction site of the An Phu interchange project in Thu Duc city, which will connect the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway with Mai Chi Tho Boulevard and ease traffic congestion at one of the worst bottlenecks in the southern city. The project has total investment of VND3.4 trillion ($145 million).