VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Railway Authority has proposed buying 13 trains from China at a total cost of over US$63.2 million for the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project in Hanoi.

Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project in Hanoi will use Chinese- made trains - PHOTO: TTXVN

The authority said in a document on train designs submitted to the Ministry of Transport that the train manufacturer had presented six exterior designs and four interior designs for the project funded by China’s official development assistance (ODA) loans.

The authority, after weighing the pros and cons of the designs, proposed selecting the common locomotive design of high-speed trains in the world. The train body will be made of stainless steel and the locomotive will feature the image of Khue Van Cac (the constellation of literature pavilion).

Handrails and two lines of pillars will be installed inside the train carriages.

Once the transport ministry approves the interior and exterior design plans, the authority will order the Chinese manufacturer to make the trains. A mock-up train would be imported for display in the capital city at the end of the year and 13 trains will be delivered for installation at the 13.5-kilometer-long uban railway track in the first quarter of next year.

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project had an initial investment of US$552 million, with China’s ODA loans accounting for US$419 million and Vietnam’s reciprocal capital of VND2.12 trillion. The project was previously planned for implementation from August 2008 to November 2013.

However, due to many reasons, the transport ministry sought approval from the Government to adjust up the investment cost to US$891 million and delay the completion time until this December.

But the project was temporarily suspended after a fatal accident at the construction site late last year. Under the latest plan, the project will not be finished until March next year.