HCM City tram set to be built

Construction of HCM City’s first tramway between Mien Tay Coach station an the downtown area will start in August, according to the HCM City Management Authority for Urban Railways.

The city is negotiating with a joint-venture comprising Thanh Danh Trading and Construction Co Ltd and Malaysia’s Titanium Management to sign a build-operate-transfer contract for the construction.

The 12.2km tramway, which will start at Bach Dang Wharf an go along Ton Duc Thang Street, the East-West Highway and Ly Chieu Hoang in District 6 to Mien Tay Coach Station, will have 13 stations.

The project will cost US$230 million and take 30 months to complete.

The city is also inviting bids for the main packages, including equipment supplies of the 19.7km Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro project, construction of whose depots began in 2008, according to the city Management Authority for Urban Railways.

Work to lay the tracks is expected to begin next year an the metro route is expected to be ready in 2015.

Tags: Vietnam Infrastructure, Vietnam transportation