On the evening of January 24, Phan Cong Bang, Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR), visited the construction site along with senior project officials and representatives of the main contractor to inspect progress on the metro's latest phase.

To meet the project’s completion goal by 2030, a detailed construction schedule has been developed for the full 57-month timeline. Geotechnical surveys began immediately after the groundbreaking ceremony.

The current focus is on two main underground stations: Station S5 (Le Thi Rieng) and Station S10 (Pham Van Bach). These will be the launch points for the TBMs - gigantic robotic tunnel-digging machines designed to bore underground passages with high precision.

“After finishing geotechnical analysis, we’ll move to the design and technical preparation phase,” Bang stated.

According to him, from March 1, contractors will begin building diaphragm walls at the station sites. About one year later, the TBMs will be deployed. At Le Thi Rieng Station, three TBMs will be installed - two directed toward Ben Thanh and one toward Bay Hien.

Once that phase is completed, the TBM from Bay Hien will be rotated and continue tunneling in the opposite direction to keep the schedule on track.

Minimizing traffic disruption during metro construction

The construction of Metro Line 2 is expected to help ease pressure on some of Ho Chi Minh City’s most congested roads, including Cong Hoa and Cach Mang Thang Tam. However, with 11 stations located along major traffic corridors, the city is bracing for temporary disruptions.

At Station S5, part of Cach Mang Thang Tam street will be closed for construction, requiring alternative traffic routes to be established through the Le Thi Rieng Park frontage.

MAUR has committed to working closely with relevant agencies to coordinate detours and manage traffic to minimize inconvenience for commuters.

To reduce disruption during the Tet holiday, construction will pause for about one week and resume from the sixth day of the lunar new year.

A major urban transport project in the making

Metro Line 2 includes ten underground stations and one elevated station. The stations are: Ben Thanh, Tao Dan, Dan Chu, Hoa Hung, Le Thi Rieng, Pham Van Hai, Bay Hien, Nguyen Hong Dao, Ba Queo, Pham Van Bach, Tan Binh, and the Tham Luong depot.

The route stretches through 14 wards, including Ben Thanh, Ban Co, Xuan Hoa, Hoa Hung, Vuon Lai, Nhieu Loc, Tan Hoa, Tan Son Nhat, Bay Hien, Tan Binh, Tan Son, Tay Thanh, Tan Son Nhi, and Dong Hung Thuan.

Nguyen Quoc Trung, Deputy CEO of Dai Quang Minh Company - part of the THACO Group - said the joint venture handling construction was carefully selected, featuring firms with strong experience in transportation infrastructure.

All involved parties have pledged to meet quality, safety, and technical requirements while staying on schedule. They also aim to contribute meaningfully to the city’s transport development.