At the first meeting of a task force established to accelerate urban railway projects in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, held recently under the chair of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, who is also its head, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the importance of selecting advanced urban railway technology for the projects, according to a report from the Government News.

He urged the Ministry of Transport (MoT) and the two cities to work closely together to build a comprehensive plan for urban railway development.

Under the Deputy Prime Minister’s directive, the MoT will promptly build mechanisms, policies and legal frameworks for the management and operation of the urban railway system.

According to Hanoi’s master plan,  the capital city will have 10 urban metro lines with a total length of 417.8 km, while Ho Chi Minh City targeted to construct 11 lines stretching around 229.1 km.

So far, Hanoi has completed and put into operation one metro line, the 13km Cat Linh – Ha Dong. Two others, Nam Thang Long - Tran Hung Dao and Nhon - Hanoi station with a total length of 24 km are under construction. The Nhon-Hanoi Station metro line is expected to begin commercial operation on its 8.5 km elevated section running from Nhon to Cau Giay in the second half of this year.

Meanwhile, among two lines under construction in Ho Chi Minh City - the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien and Ben Thanh - Tham Luong, with a total length of 20.74km,  the Line 1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien) is expected to start commercial operation in October this year, according to the Ho Chi Minh City’s Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR).