A train of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway system. The trains of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway will start a trial operation within 20 days in early December – Photo: VNA

The trial operation of the long-stalled railway in Hanoi City played an important role in helping the French consulting firm evaluate the safety of the railway system and make an appraisal, the Railway Project Management Board under the Ministry of Transport told VnExpress on November 18.

As many as 800 employees will be mobilized to join the test run, said a representative of the board.

Based on the results of the planned trial run, in the first quarter of 2021, the French consulting firm ACT will grant a safety certificate for the railway system. Besides, the Ministry of Transport, the investor of the project, will appraise the railway and hand it over to the municipal government for management and operation.

The general director of ACT is present at the project site. In the next few days, seven experts from ACT will enter Vietnam to serve the assessment of the railway, according to the representative.

Further, the Chinese contractor has dispatched some 100 employees, including engineers and experts, to Vietnam to serve the trial operation.

The construction of the railway and installation of devices and machines for the system have been completed. The railway was set to operate on a trial basis in early 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic prevented Chinese and French experts from entering Vietnam, resulting in a delay of the trial run.

The ministry said in mid-October that in late December, the trial operation of Hanoi City’s urban railway would be completed. In January next year, the railway will be appraised and handed over to the municipal government.

The 13-kilometer Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway has 12 stations and one depot. The urban railway system runs from Cat Linh Station in downtown Dong Da District to the Yen Nghia Station southwest of Ha Dong District. The project’s cost was revised up from VND8.7 trillion to a whopping VND18 trillion. SGT

When will Cat Linh - Ha Dong railway operate commercially?

It is expected that the urban railway project of Cat Linh-Ha Dong will begin operating on a trial basis in December.