Evaluation plan approved for Hanoi’s metro line 5

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has signed a decision approving the evaluation plan of Hanoi metro line 5’s prefeasibility study, deemed a crucial step before the scheme is submitted to competent management agencies for investment approval.

According to research results of Hanoi People’s Committee, the metro line would be an electrified dual-track urban rail line consisting of a 6.5km underground section, 2km elevated section, and 29.9km ground-based section.

The project runs through Hanoi’s inner districts of Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Cau Giay, and Nam Tu Liem as well as Hoai Duc, Quoc Oai, and Thach That districts in Hanoi’s suburbs.

The proposed line aims to make use of 25-40 trains each with 4-6 carriages, with a designed velocity reaching 120km per hour, and 90km per hour for the underground section. The wait time for each train should be just over 3 minutes.

The total investment value would approximate $2.76 billion, including around $1 billion construction cost, and $701.6 million equipment cost, envisaged for single-phase investment.

With such scale, this urban rail line project would be the most capital intensive one among metro lines having finalised prefeasibility studies in Hanoi.

To secure sufficient capital to build the route, Hanoi People’s Committee will earmark about $633 million from public investment sources and saving from spending during the 2021-2025 period, averaging $130 million each year; about $464 million from equitised and capital divestment ventures; $633 million from auction of several land areas; $422 million from bond issuances; and $291 million borrowings from domestic and foreign financial institutions.

Via a statement to the government on the evaluation of the study, Hanoi People’s Committee asked for permission to use the city budget to expedite the project under the Productive Development Partnerships trial scheme, learning on a proven and effective Malaysian model.

“Since traffic congestion and environmental pollution becomes increasingly critical, investment into metro line 5 to gradually perfect urban rail line planning proves crucial to meet burgeoning travel demands and gearing towards forming a modern and civilised public transport mode for Hanoi,” said Duong Duc Tuan, Deputy Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee.

Hanoi People’s Committee also approved the cost estimate for evaluating the metro line at about VND24.4 billion ($1.03 million).

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