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| The southern province of Binh Duong has proposed developing a rapid bus link with HCM City's first metro line. — Photo tuoitre.vn |
HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — The southern province of Binh Duong has proposed developing a rapid bus link with HCM City's first metro line.
The bus route would begin at Binh Duong New City and end at Suoi Tien metro station.
The project requires an investment of VND1.8 trillion (US$82 million), to be provided by Japan's Official Development Assistance, according to the proposal submited by the province's Transport Department and People's Committee to the Prime Minister.
If approved, the project would be implemented in 2019 when the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line is expected to be completed.
The bus system would enhance connectivity in the southeastern region and expand the metro line's reach from HCM City to Binh Duong Province (via the Suoi Tien metro station).
The HCM City Metro project is managed by the city's Management Authority for Urban Railways under the chairman of the city's People's Committee.
The project was first proposed in 2001 as part of a comprehensive public transport network plan including HCM City and neighbouring provinces, with the aim of avoiding traffic congestion.
It includes three monorail lines with a total length of 37km and six underground metro routes of 107km, including routes Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien, Ben Thanh-Tham Luong and Ben Thanh-Binh Tan, among others.
Under the plan, Ben Thanh would be the central station connecting the routes. Suoi Tien would be the point linking eastern parts of the city and neighbouring provinces.
Suoi Tien station is expected to receive around 147,000 passengers per day.
Begun in 2012, the first Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro and its underground stations located near the city's Opera House and Ben Thanh Market in District 1 are expected to be completed by 2019. — VNS