Sai Gon River tunnel nears completion

A delegation of HCM City leaders yesterday walked into the Thu Thiem Tunnel beneath the Sai Gon River from the District 1 side to meet up with veterans and other representatives of Districts 2 and 9 entering from the other bank.

Le Thanh Hai, Party Committee Secretary of the city, and Le Hoang Quan, chairman of the People’s Committee, were accompanied by contractors of the East – West Highway for a ceremony to mark the completion of the tunnel.

The ceremony, held on both sides of the river was broadcast live on HCM City Television.

According to the contractors, 95 per cent of the work is complete. However, while the main work has been completed, other systems like water supply, lighting, fire prevention, ventilation, and others have yet to start.

Quan expressed thanks to all relevant agencies that helped do the project and the residents who were relocated for finishing it soon.

Luong Minh Phuc, head of the HCM City Urban Transport Development Management Board, said the tunnel will help ease congestion in the city and provide the shortest route from downtown to Thu Thiem.

Towing and installing the tunnel’s four 110,000-tonne sections were a new and big challenge for the Vietnamese workers.

The construction provided an opportunity for Viet Nam to acquire technologies from international experts, he said, hailing the successful construction.

The city leaders conferred badges on 35 people, including seven Japanese, for their contribution to the project’s success.

Vital statistics

It is the longest tunnel in Southeast Asia with the length of 1.49km and is part of the East – West Highway running 22km across the city.

Work on the tunnel began in February 2005 and will be open to traffic along with the highway in the second quarter of next year.

It can withstand earthquakes measuring six on the Richter scale and has a life span of 100 years.

It will carry 45,000 automobiles and 15,000 motorbikes every day, allowing the vehicles to travel at 60km per hour.

It is expected to speed up the development of the proposed Thu Thiem New Urban Area in District 2. — VNS

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