Site clearance issues delay urban rail plan

The slow clearance of land and a lack of consensus are likely to mean the Cat Linh – Ha Dong urban railway is not built within the scheduled four years, reports project director Vu Quang Khoi.

The difficulties with the US$552.86 million project were focused at the site of its proposed depot in the villages of Nhan Trach and Van Noi in Ha øDong District’s Phu Luong Ward, he said.

Although land had been cleared in Nhan Trach, where 247 households were compensated with VND23 billion (US$1.2 million) for 8.6ha, less than a fifth – 60 of 348 – of Van Noi households had accepted the offered VND4.1 billion ($215,800) compensation.

The Ha Dong District People’s Committee says just 1.4 out of 14.55ha has been cleared in Van Noi.

The failure of numerous Van Noi households to reach consensus had resulted in their lack of co-operation with the land-clearance effort, the director said.

The required land, which includes the Van Noi cemetery, was used by numerous households and organisations, making site clearance more difficult, he said.

The Van Noi cemetery was to have been removed to an extended Trinh Luong cemetery, but the Planning and Architecture Department had yet to approve the plan.

The lack of progress was explained at a working session between Ha Noi administrators; the Ha Dong district People Committee and relevant agencies last week.

Ha Dong District People’s Committee chairman Phan Khac Tuan said that beginning vocational training and creating jobs for the displaced was proving difficult.

The committee planned to reserve land for job creation but the city administration had yet to make a decision that would allow this to be done.

Further, some residents were opposed to the planned land clearance and had asked for higher compensation.

The chairman said the district administration would continue to work to persuade “hold out” households to co-operate. Construction of the 12.88km-long railway with its 12 stations should start as soon as the land was available, he said.

But he also asked that the Ha Noi administrators to provide the necessary legal documents for the project. — VNS

Deadline set for immediate action

Ha Noi People’s Committee Deputy Chairman Nguyen Van Khoi has instructed the Planning and Architecture Department to begin planning for the extension of the Trinh Luong cemetery and lodge the results for approval before August 5.

The deputy chairman has also asked the Natural Resources and Environment Department to work with the Ha Dong District administrators to have a site-clearance plan ready by the same date.

The instructions signal a more intensive effort to have the Cat Linh – Ha Dong urban railway built.

Initially, four-wagon trains will travel the tracks at 80kmph and carrying up to 28,000 people each hour.

Money for the project will be provided through preferential loans from the Chinese government; the Import – Export Bank of China and the Vietnamese Government.

Tags: Hanoi urban rail plan, Vietnam transportation