Flood-proof doors have been installed in three underground stations of metro line No. 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, according to the municipal Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR), the investor of the metro project.

The MAUR underlined the importance of this flood-proofing measure as parts of the southern metropolis are waterlogged after heavy downpours.

Therefore, the contractor set up these flood-proof doors at the Ben Thanh, Municipal Theater, and Ba Son underground stations.

These doors are 30cm higher than the 100-year flood level and are able to prevent the 300-year flood level plus rising sea level due to climate change.

The entrances to these underground stations are equipped with two-step staircases and water-proof panels whose heights vary between 300mm and 900mm, in addition to canopies to avoid rain.

If rainwater rises above the water-proof panels, other safety measures will be adopted, such as using sandbags or high-capacity pumps to drain waterlogged areas.

The 19.7-kilometer-long metro line, which carries a price tag of VND43.7 trillion (US$1.8 billion), is now 96 percent complete.

The line has 17 trains, each consisting of three cars and designed to run at up to 110 kilometers per hour above the ground and 80 kilometers per hour underground.

Each Japanese-manufactured train is 61.5 meters long and can carry 930 passengers, including 147 seating and 783 standing guests.

In late August this year, the metro line embarked on a test run over the entire route for the first time on a journey of nearly 40 kilometers.

The city’s first metro line is slated for commercial operations in July next year.

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