Hanoi considers vehicle ban, metro underground station near Hoan Kiem Lake

Hanoi Department of Transport has proposed to pilot a ban on vehicles around the Hoan Kiem Lake for a month in order to find better traffic management solutions.

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Hanoi Department of Transport has proposed to pilot a ban on vehicles around the Hoan Kiem Lake for a month in order to find better traffic management solutions.

Hoan Kiem Lake

Hanoi People's Committee has reviewed the operation and activities of the pedestrian streets around Hoan Kiem Lake after three years.

According to the authorities, the pedestrian streets have proved popular and an improvement to the city's cultural activities and tourism sector.

Hoan Kiem District People's Committee was asked to submit a review report and end the pilot period. They were also asked to deal with remaining shortcomings such as illegal street vendors, traffic management and lack of parking.

They were urged to quickly complete the plan to expand the pedestrianised area to the north of the city.

The Department of Transport and the city police must develop a better plan to regulate the traffic around the pedestrianised area such as the area in front of the State Bank of Vietnam.

The Department of Transport has proposed to ban all vehicles from the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake for a month as part of research into the issue.

Hanoi approves metro underground station near Hoan Kiem Lake

Graphic image of the C9 station gate on Dinh Tien Hoang street. Photo: MRB

Based on objective and scientific evaluation, the Hanoi People`s Committee affirms that the proposed location of the C9 urban railway station is the optimal.

The Hanoi People's Committee has approved a plan to build underground metro station C9 under Dinh Tien Hoang street and a part of the city’s flower garden, 10 meters from Hoan Kiem Lake, local media reported.

So far, due to difficulties in designing the underground station C9, the construction of a metro line connecting Nam Thang Long station in the north of the city and Tran Hung Dao street has been halted for 11 years.

In a plan submitted by Hanoi People’s Committee to the Vietnamese government, the C9 station will be built on the widest ground of Hoan Kiem Lake’s bank under the flower garden on Dinh Tien Hoang street with four entrances and exits, three floors, including a concourse, a technical area and a platform level.

The exits/entrances will replace the current public toilets, helping to improve the lake’s surroundings.

Thus, the planned underground station C9 could ensure as well as promote the value of the Hoan Kiem Lake’s historical heritage and cultural space, said the experts.

Earlier, the plan was rejected once because of concerns raised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism regarding the possible infringement of protected area of Hoan Kiem Lake relics regulated in the Law on Cultural Heritage.

The research and consultancy agency has given scientific evidence, assuring that the station’s construction and operation will not cause subsidence or other impacts.

Auxiliary systems and exits/entrances will be constructed in the area belonging to the premises of Vietnam Electricity on Dinh Tien Hoang street to avoid land clearance, which often is the main cause of delay of any major construction in Vietnam.

The plan is thought to be the most effective as it does not require land clearance, reducing the risk of further delay and minimize construction expenses.

Located near the Old Quarter, the C9 underground station is expected to ease traffic congestion in Hanoi’s downtown.

On the basis of objective and scientific evaluation, the Hanoi People's Committee affirms that the proposed location of the C9 urban railway station is the optimal.

The Nam Thang Long – Tran Hung Dao metro project will use official development assistance from Japan and reciprocal capital from the Vietnamese government. Although the project has not been implemented, its investment capital has been adjusted up from VND19.5 trillion (US$838.5 million) to VND35.6 trillion (US$1.53 billion).

It is part of metro line No.2 connecting Noi Bai International Airport and the city's center and spans 11.5 kilometers. The entire metro line is planned to have 10 stations, including three elevated stations and seven underground ones.

Dtinews/Hanoitimes/VietNamNet