Metro Line No.1 powered up

Laying down an electic cable for Metro Line 1

All stations of Metro Line 1 are powered by two 110kV power stations of Binh Thai and Tan Cang, as well as 220kV electric lines connecting Thu Duc station to the Long Binh Depot in District 9. The work is set to be completed in the second quarter of this year if COVID-19 is brought under control.

Huynh Hong Thanh, deputy head of MAUR, said that the event marked the beginning of testing operations for the train and the equipment.

Jason Fraser, project manager of contractor Hitachi, said that other trains and equipment are being imported to Vietnam. Hitachi will also speed up the installation of electromechanical systems and equipment on the entire route, as well as energise the two main power transformer stations of Binh Thai and Tan Cang.

MAUR pledged to coordinate the parties to ensure project progress, with quality being the most important part.

Metro Line 1, the key project to solve traffic jams in the Northeast Gateway as well as contribute to socioeconomic development, has completed 82 per cent of the construction work.

The overhead train from Binh Thai intersection to Long Binh Depot is expected to be tested in the fourth quarter of 2021.

After that, Metro Line 1 will be commissioned for the whole line before going into commercial operation in 2022.

Metro Line 1 is 19.7km long, 2.6km of which goes underground with a total investment of over VND43.7 trillion ($1.9 billion). The line has a total of 14 stations with 11 overhead stations and three underground stations, starting from Long Binh Depot and ending at Ben Thanh.

Earlier in February, MAUR announced to delay the commercial operation of this line until 2022, instead of 2021 due to COVID-19. The pandemic has slowed down progress as experts and equipment were delayed in entering the country.