The Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR) recently submitted a report to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport and other relevant units proposing the relocation and felling of 453 trees for the construction of metro line No. 2.

According to the master plan, 404 trees are slated to be cut down, while the remaining trees will be transplanted to alternative locations for preservation. 

MAUR highlighted that the underground stations of metro line No. 2, which will stretch from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to the Tham Luong Bridge in District 12, are situated in densely populated areas, necessitating the adjustment of underground and surface technical infrastructure. 

The tree relocation and felling initiative aims to facilitate the relocation of underground technical infrastructure, minimizing disruptions to daily life and activities. 

In the initial phase, 49 trees will be relocated, and 24 trees will be felled within the excavation area to establish new spaces for technical infrastructure relocation, a MAUR officer said on Thursday afternoon.

Trees unaffected by construction within the existing sidewalk will be temporarily retained to provide shade until the completion of the underground stations, with a protection plan in place during construction. 

Subsequently, all trees within the construction boundary will be either felled or relocated, while those outside the boundary will be subject to protection measures. 

This initiative is overseen by a joint venture between Thao Nguyen Xanh Construction Trading Company Limited and Green Space Construction Consulting Solutions Joint Stock Company, with an expected completion date of July. 

However, according to construction design documents and estimates for metro line No. 2, many of the trees slated for removal exhibit poor growth rates and face risks associated with replanting. 

Several trees are old and large, making them unsuitable for relocation due to their limited ability to recover or develop roots, which could adversely affect nearby living spaces. 

MAUR has urged the contractor to explore additional solutions for relocating a portion of the trees to the Tham Luong depot for upkeep purposes.

Spanning approximately 11.3km and traversing District 1, District 3, District 10, District 12, Tan Binh District, and Tan Phu District, metro line No. 2 will feature nine underground and two aboveground stations along its 9.3km underground segment and 2km elevated stretch.

The project, estimated to cost VND47.9 trillion (US$1.88 billion), is financed through a combination of official development assistance funds and reciprocal capital from the city.

Construction commenced on the first contract package on June 22, 2023 and a completion target is set for 2030 for the whole route.

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