HCMC’s first metro line to return downtown street before end of April

Nguyen Quoc Hien, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR), the main investor for the city’s first metro line, on Friday said besides the Sept. 23 Park, all roads and pavements along Le Loi in District 1 would be returned to city authorities before April 30 so aesthetic and architectural changes to them could be made.

Construction of Ben Thanh Station is now 95 percent complete. The station spans 236 meters, is about 32 meters underground and has four floors with six entrances.

Construction is underway for the station’s architectural and electrical systems, according to MAUR.

Late last year, deputy chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Le Hoa Binh approved a plan to redesign a section of Le Loi Street, from the Nguyen Hue walking street to Ben Thanh Market, per a proposal by the Department of City Planning and Architecture. The barricades on the street section intended for the construction of the first metro line would be maintained as they are during the redesign.

For the construction of Ben Thanh Station, a section of Le Loi passing through Ben Thanh Market has been barricaded. The redesign would help make the street tidier, which is better for business.

Previously, two other stations on the first metro line: Opera House Station and Ba Son Station, had both returned their land to authorities.

HCMC’s first metro line, costing over VND43.7 trillion ($1.9 billion), spans around 20 kilometers from Long Binh Depot in Thu Duc City to Ben Thanh Station. It is now 89 percent complete and is expected to open to the public in 2023.