Hanoi’s first metro project, the Cat Linh-Ha Dong line, which is scheduled to be operational in the coming year, has already shown signs of rust. 

  Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project

The problem was detected by a government agency which specialises in checking construction work.

According to the agency, most of the project items met design and technical requirements. However, there are some problems, particularly related to the track. For instance, some parts of the tracks have become rusty due to not being covered by protective paint.

Meanwhile, some joints on the track are loose, which could cause a problem due to friction.

Despite being soaked with chemicals, cracks have been seen at some wooden ties installed at depots. Stairs at depot areas also still lack safety net and warning signs.

The council has urged the Ministry of Transport and the EPC contractor to deal with the problems.

Work on the 13-km Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project was kicked off in October 2011 and had originally been slated for completion in 2013, but then was delayed until the third quarter of 2018.

The sluggish construction pace has caused the project’s total investment to rise to USD868 million from an initial figure of just USD552 million, including USD169 million from Chinese official development assistance.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Transport has blamed the slow pace of construction and delayed capital allocation.  

dtinews