He stressed the necessity for innovation and breakthrough solutions to expedite the development of the remaining 200 kilometers of railway.

Speaking on the long-delayed Metro Line 1, which remains incomplete after nearly 20 years, Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen declared the situation "unacceptable." He stressed the necessity for innovation and breakthrough solutions to expedite the development of the remaining 200 kilometers of railway.

On the morning of June 13, the HCM City Party Committee convened its 31st conference to discuss the city's socio-economic development and Party building efforts.

During the conference, HCMC Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen highlighted the significant delays in developing the HCMC urban railway system. Mr. Nen noted that before commencing this project, the city conducted research trips to study foreign models.

“Many experts and managers say that a city without a complete railway system is unstable. We must be determined to avoid falling into that situation,” Mr. Nen stated.

According to Mr. Nen, the Prime Minister has approved eight urban railway lines for the city, totaling 220 kilometers in length. Despite efforts and determination, Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) is only 96% complete after nearly 20 years, with hopes to start operations this year.

“We have broken our promises many times with Metro Line 1. There are things we thought would be easy to do but have been stuck in procedural issues. These problems cannot be resolved or overcome with political determination alone. If the remaining 200 kilometers are done in the same way, it is unacceptable,” Mr. Nen said.

He emphasized the need for innovative approaches and breakthroughs to accelerate the construction of the urban railway system. This policy should be included in the resolution for the upcoming 12th HCM City Party Congress.

HCM City Chairman Phan Van Mai indicated that by 2030, the city plans to establish five additional urban areas. Urban railways will connect these new areas with the city center. “However, due to the lack of synchronous infrastructure development, our urban areas are still like ‘oil stains,’” Mr. Mai said.

To complete the urban railway system as planned, the city needs an estimated US$36 billion in investment. Public investment options are being considered, including the issuance of bonds to raise capital. Large banks have suggested that if bonds are issued at appropriate interest rates, raising funds for railway development should not be an issue.

Tran Quang Lam, Director of the HCM City Department of Transport, reported that the urban railway system's construction began in 2007. However, the progress has been slow, failing to meet the transportation and infrastructure needs of the rapidly urbanizing city. This imbalance in transportation modes has led to issues like traffic congestion, high transportation costs, and environmental pollution.

Mr. Lam emphasized that developing urban railways aims not only to meet transportation needs but also to foster modern urban areas following the TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) model. TOD has been successfully implemented in many countries, and with Ho Chi Minh City's average per capita income reaching $3,271 in 2022, the World Bank considers this the right time to implement TOD.

The goal is to develop modern urban areas linked to urban railway lines, facilitating connections and attracting residents and businesses. This increases land value and creates investment resources for the city's development.

According to HCM City's approved plan, by 2035, about 183 kilometers of urban railway will be completed, including:

- Line No. 1: 40.8 km

- Line No. 2: 20.22 km out of 62.8 km

- Line No. 3: 29.53 km out of 62.1 km

- Line No. 4: 36.82 km out of 43.4 km

- Line No. 5: 32.5 km out of 53.8 km

- Line No. 6: 22.85 km out of 53.8 km

By 2045, the remaining sections of Lines 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 will be completed, and Line 7 (30.9 km) will be constructed.

By 2060, an additional 168.36 kilometers will be built to complete all seven urban railway lines, increasing the total length to about 351.08 kilometers.

Ho Van