Hà Nội decides C9 metro station location

A blueprint of a gate of C9 station part of the planned Nam Thăng Long – Trần Hưng Đạo urban rail line named the Urban Railway Line No2 in Hà Nội. — Photo provided by The Hanoi Metropolitan railway management board

 HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People’s Committee on Wednesday decided on the location of C9 station that is part of the planned Nam Thăng Long – Trần Hưng Đạo urban rail line (Line 2).

The station will be built outside of the protection area of Hoàn Kiếm Lake area as stated under the heritage law.

In the original plan, the main body of the station and one of its entrances was proposed to be entirely within the protection area of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple.

The plan did not receive the consent of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism or the National Assembly’s Culture and Education Committee.

In the newly approved plan, the design and location of the station will be modified to comply with the heritage law while still ensuring technical feasibility, according to the Vice Chairman of the city People’s Committee Dương Đức Tuấn.

“The city will adjust the investment policy, report to the Prime Minister for consideration, and make decisions and speed up the project,” Tuấn said.

The underground station is now planned to be located under Đinh Tiên Hoàng Street, in front of the headquarters of the Hanoi Electricity Corporation and the city’s People’s Council and People’s Committee.

The C9 Station has two gates, 202.4 m long, 15 m wide, and 31 m deep. The station structure is about 3 m from the nearest building.

The station is designed with four floors, in which the waiting hall and ticketing system are on the first floor, while its second and fourth floors will be for picking up and dropping off guests, and the third floor contains equipment.

The station location is 97m away from the Bút Tháp Tower. The station’s entrance and exit are not in the historical site’s protection area.

Tuấn said that the new plan also minimised the relocation of trees when constructing the station (digging), ensuring the relic site’s landscape, cultural, and ecological environment.

The city is committed to using station construction methods that do not create vibrations and affect the monument.

In the middle of this month, the city proposed three options on the location of the C9 station.

The first option was selected, as the second was agreed by the city agencies and Hà Nội Metropolitan Railway Management Board but rejected by the culture ministry.

The third option was to remove the station altogether or be built later. However, there were fears this could cause technical issues and increase construction costs later.

The Urban railway line No. 2 was approved for a feasibility study report in 2008 and had a contract for consulting services signed in 2013.

The starting point of the route is at Nam Thang Long urban area (Ciputra), running through expanded Nguyễn Văn Huyên Street – Hoàng Quốc Việt – Hoàng Hoa Thám – Thụy Khuê – Phan Đình Phùng – Hàng Giấy – Hàng Đường – Hàng Ngang – Hàng Đào – Đình Tiên Hoàng – Hàng Bài and ending on Huế Street.

The railway line is 11.5 km long, of which the elevated section is 2.6 km. The total investment of the adjusted project is more than VNĐ 34.670 trillion, using ODA loans of the Japanese Government and reciprocal capital from the state budget. — VnExpress News