The administration in Ho Chi Minh City has adjusted the deadline for the completion of the second metro line to 2030 instead of 2026.

Any problems in the project, linking Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Tham Luong Depot in District 12, will be fixed between 2030 and 2032, according to the city’s decision.

The decision was made after Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang signed a decision approving the delay.

The municipal government assigned the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR), the investor of the project, to carry out a comprehensive analysis of risks, propose solutions, and bear responsibility in case of further delays. 

MAUR should learn from experience in selecting contractors, managing contracts, dealing with issues arising during the project execution and disputes, and using official development assistance loans from the first metro line, which stretches from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Suoi Tien Theme Park in Thu Duc City.

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee also required MAUR to coordinate with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to get instructions in environment impact assessment procedures.

The authority will have to work with the municipal Department of Planning and Investment and the Department of Finance to ensure the allocation of capital in demand and propose solutions to prevent risks in case that items lag behind schedule.

The relevant agencies should take the initiative in working with banks and districts during the site clearance process to accelerate the relocation of technical infrastructure facilities and the handover of the cleared site to contractors.

MAUR will regularly report the progress of the project to the municipal administration so that it can promptly assign relevant agencies to resolve issues.

The authority was also asked to cooperate with the Department of Transport to complete a report proposing the connection of the first and second metro lines at the Ben Thanh Station.

Ho Chi Minh City's second metro line, which requires an investment of over VND47.89 trillion (US$1.97 million), was approved in 2010.

The route was designed to stretch 11.2 kilometers, passing through six districts: 1, 3, 10, 12, Tan Binh, and Tan Phu.

Only $20.13 million worth of loans and 18.52 million euros ($18.16 million) of official development assistance capital was disbursed for the project from 2010 to 2020, according to the Ministry of Finance.

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