Hanoi’s first urban railway running from Cat Linh to Ha Dong will be inaugurated in late December this year, according to the Ministry of Transport.

The Railway Project Management Unit under the ministry said the urban railway project is now 70% complete. Stations including La Khe and Van Khe as well as the main depot will be built from April to June.

Equipment will be installed at the end of September before the urban railway is test-run in October, according to the unit. The railway will be put into commercial service on December 31.

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong has urged the unit and contractors to implement the project as scheduled, particularly the construction of stations and installation of equipment.

Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway is 13.5 kilometers long and connects Ha Dong, Thanh Xuan and Dong Da districts in the capital.

The project initially cost US$552 million, US$419 million of it funded by China’s official development assistance (ODA) loan and VND2.12 trillion financed by Vietnam’s reciprocal capital. However, it was revised up to US$891 million due to cost overruns.

The project was suspended for a while for relevant agencies to check labor safety after a fatal scaffolding collapse in late 2014.

Thirteen Chinese-made trains will be used for the railway as a condition for the ODA loan provided by China.