Apave - Certifer - Tricc’s (ATC), a French joint venture consultancy, has released a list of safety risks relating to the operation of Hanoi’s first metro line.

ATC’s list of 16 cautions regarding the Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway project noted the metro line’s shortcomings in terms of technical standards in comparison to European metro systems.

The consultancy had assessed 76 hazards, 31 safety functions, risk management, and 10 emergency situations along the metro route before publishing the list of cautions.

Its report detailed the metro project’s failure to ensure the safety of the electric traction and electric brake systems.

It also noted that the project is not ready to handle emergency situations during operation and that eight out of ten emergency procedures had failed its test run.

The Chinese general contractor managing the project failed to provide sufficient documentation relating to system operation safety, while the fire safety mechanism at each station, as well as the viaduct system, is not guaranteed.

The Ministry of Transport, the developer of the project, must be responsible for the risks and possible aftermath if it decides to put the system into operation, the consultancy said.

In a separate report, the transport ministry stated that the cautions stemmed from the differences in technical and safety standards in metro system investment, exploitation, and operation between Europe and China.

Thirteen trains set to run on the Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway line have been inspected and certified by the Vietnam Register for quality, technical safety, and environmental protection.

Each train safely ran more than 1,500 kilometers during the trial phase.

Vietnam’s Police Department of Fire Prevention and Fighting and Rescue has issued a certificate of fire safety for the system, while the Technical Inspection Association (TUV) has granted it a safety certificate for its electric brake and traction systems.

The Chinese general contractor and the train manufacturer have also provided a commitment to quality and technical safety, while the Hanoi Metro Company (HMC) has hired a Chinese consultancy for a one-year support period to ensure safety management on the metro line.

HMC has sent officials and experts to the Beijing Subway Company for training in system operation in accordance with Chinese standards.

The Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway runs from Cat Linh Station in downtown Dong Da District to Yen Nghia Station in south-western Ha Dong District.

It takes approximately 20 minutes to travel the 13-kilometer route.

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