The Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) has announced plans to fund the upcoming metro projects in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The MAUR aims to enhance management by preparing tender documents and negotiating contracts with contractors. They plan to use BIM technology for design and project management to control quality, progress, and costs. The key projects targeted are Metro Line No. 1 (Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien) and the Ben Thanh – Tham Luong Metro Line Project.
Projects currently in the investment preparation phase include Phase 1 of Metro Line No. 5 (Bay Hien Intersection to Sai Gon Bridge), Phase 1 of Metro Line 3a (Ben Thanh to High-Tech Medical Zone), and the Phase 2 of Metro Line No. 2 (Ben Thanh to Thu Thiem section).
In addition, the MAUR will work with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport to complete the city’s urban railway transport system development project, following the Politburo’s development orientation for Vietnam’s railway transport until 2030, with a vision toward 2045.
Meanwhile, the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro line 1 has 98 per cent of the work completed, but final acceptance, system safety assessments, infrastructure handover, and project closure procedures are still pending. The MAUR has reported to authorities to adjust the construction and operation timeline to 2024. The Ben Thanh – Tham Luong metro line 2 project faces challenges in arranging official development assistance (ODA) loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), KFW Development Bank, and European Investment Bank (EIB). Currently, metro line 2 is in the preparation phase, while other lines await investment approval, project proposals, and fund arrangements.