The Management Authority for Urban Railways and contractors on April 6 began making the first precast viaduct segment for the elevated track of Metro Line No. 1, and plan to complete the longest section of the line by 2018.

Employees are at work at the precast viaduct site of Metro Line No. 1 in HCMC’s District 9. The elevated track of Metro Line No. 1 is scheduled for completion by 2018.

The elevated section is part of the second package consisting of 11 stations, 14.5 kilometers of overpass and a depot covering 27.4 hectares. The metro line is designed to run from Ben Thanh Market in the downtown area to Suoi Tien Park in District 9.

The authority said spans will be cast at a designated area in District 9 before being transported to the construction site for installation on concrete piers. Spans will be linked together and the heaviest one weighs around 42 tons.

The installation of precast viaduct parts will start this June. The entire process of casting and installing spans on concrete piers will take two years.

Bui Xuan Cuong, director of the authority, said all issues concerning site clearance and compensation of Metro Line No. 1 have been solved.

Regarding the underground track from Ben Thanh Market to Ba Son Shipyard, work began on the station at the HCMC Opera House last August and parts of the station on Nguyen Hue Boulevard have been finished.

Under the current implementation plan, Metro Line No. 1 will be finished and test run in 2019 and officially put into operation a year later.

The authority is currently gathering comments on the colors and designs of the metro train model until April 15. More than 500 visitors have come to view the model and the agency has got over 400 reviews so far.