The problem of building a metro line connecting the center of Ho Chi Minh City with Can Gio

(Dan Tri) - Can Gio still has a lot of unexploited land, but lacks connection to the center of Ho Chi Minh City. The Metro line solves this problem, but the bigger problem is how to do it.

Ho Chi Minh City is currently facing the biggest challenge of a densely populated city, which is limited land fund while the population is increasing. In that context, the successful operation of the first metro line has become an optimistic signal, opening up expectations for a positive change for the infrastructure "backbone" axis in the city. Looking at an optimistic start, the Prime Minister asked Mr. Pham Nhat Vuong, Chairman of VinGroup , to participate in building a railway line connecting the center of Ho Chi Minh City with Can Gio island district. The Prime Minister approved the addition of 2 new railway lines to the list of Ho Chi Minh City urban railway systems, bringing the total to 12 lines instead of only 10 lines as previously planned. Of which, line 11 plays the role of connecting Binh Tan district with Cu Chi district and line 12 will connect district 7 with Can Gio island district.

Proper planning

Talking to Dan Tri reporter, Associate Professor Dr. Vu Anh Tuan (Director of the Center for Transport Research, Vietnam-Germany University) assessed that adding 2 urban railway projects to the planning is strategically correct. Looking at the map, Ho Chi Minh City is divided into 3 parts: Cu Chi in the Northwest, a series of districts in the central area and Can Gio in the Southeast. The previous planning of 10 metro lines was densely concentrated in the central area, there was no route connecting Cu Chi and Can Gio. Besides, Can Gio is the green lung that needs to be preserved of Ho Chi Minh City, going to Can Gio by train would be more reasonable than letting vehicles circulate and emit emissions on Rung Sac road. Sharing the same perspective, Dr. Phan Huu Duy Quoc, a member of the expert group consulting on the Ho Chi Minh City urban railway project, commented that planning the connection between the city center and Can Gio urban area right now is necessary. This not only helps ensure that land along the route is used appropriately, but also shapes sustainable development for the area in the future.

Metro Line 1 has a strong impact on changing the urban landscape (Photo: Trinh Nguyen).

"Therefore, it can be said that the addition of two new railway lines also demonstrates the determination and political orientation of the Central and City leaders in developing Can Gio urban area and other urban areas in the direction that this railway line passes through," said Dr. Phan Huu Duy Quoc. Analyzing more clearly, Mr. Quoc pointed out that if only looking at the current reality, the development of the public transport system, especially large passenger transport routes, has shown a clear impact on the urban appearance. These transport routes not only help connect satellite cities with the city center, but also promote the process of population dispersion, reducing population density in the central area. This will open up development opportunities for new urban areas, where there is still a lot of unexploited land, but development is limited due to the great geographical distance compared to the current central area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City.

Subway is not feasible

Assessing the railway line connecting the center of Ho Chi Minh City to Can Gio, Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Anh Tuan saw many challenges ahead. Firstly, the railway line will pass through the Can Gio mangrove forest with weak geological foundation, requiring the foundations to be driven deep into the ground, which is costly. With this geological foundation, building an elevated light rail line (LRT) will be more feasible than an underground railway. "The investment rate in weak ground sections and river crossing sections can be up to 80-100 million USD/km," Mr. Tuan said. Secondly, Can Gio is a sparsely populated area, the number of potential passengers using the metro is not large. When completed and put into operation, revenue from passengers will never offset maintenance and operating costs. According to the expert, the motivation to overcome the above difficulties may come from Vin Group and their Can Gio coastal urban project. "When combining the goals of urban development and traffic connection into one project, the feasibility of the traffic project will increase many times," Associate Professor Vu Anh Tuan commented. Here, the interests of businesses and the State meet. "The State wants to develop urban railway infrastructure, and businesses want that railway line to increase connectivity and increase the value of their real estate projects. The question is how the two sides will work together and share responsibilities," Mr. Tuan added.

Railway line No. 12 is expected to be 48.7km long, connecting District 7 with Can Gio district, aiming to open up the potential of the marine economy (Photo: Thu Tran).

Dr. Phan Huu Duy Quoc also commented that if only considering the current population status, urban railway line No. 12 connecting the center of Ho Chi Minh City with the Can Gio coastal urban area can be assessed as ineffective in terms of passenger transport capacity. However, this assessment does not take into account the long-term impact that urban railway lines often bring, which is the ability to shift the population in the direction of the railway lines. Similarly, in terms of means of transport, Mr. Quoc said that it is not necessary to choose the subway when building a railway line connecting the center to Can Gio. "The cost of building an underground system is very expensive, up to 5 times higher than building an elevated railway," Dr. Phan Huu Duy Quoc commented, and said that an elevated railway would be a more optimal solution, ensuring both financial feasibility and meeting the need for fast and effective traffic connections.

Should share capital

According to Dr. Vu Anh Tuan, the plan of the State doing everything or Vin Group doing everything is not reasonable. Both sides must coordinate. Thus, the metro line connecting the center of Ho Chi Minh City with Can Gio will most likely be implemented in the form of public-private partnership (PPP). "A railway project of nearly 50km going through weak ground, the cost can be up to several billion dollars. Assuming that this amount will be partially accounted for in the urban project of the investor, the rest still needs funding from the State," Mr. Tuan commented. The investor will have to analyze costs and profits, propose to Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Government on the investment capital sharing ratio. Vin Group can contribute 50% or only 30% of the total cost. The information up to this point is only for orientation purposes, not yet final. Dr. Phan Huu Duy Quoc said that the key factor in implementing the planning lies not only in establishing the plan, but also in the ability to mobilize resources to realize these strategies. "The feasibility of the plan also depends on how serious we are about it. This is not only about maintaining the original commitments but also the ability to protect the plan from external impacts, as well as the intervention of interest groups," Dr. Phan Huu Duy Quoc shared his opinion. Therefore, the expert believes that for the success of this plan to be higher, the mobilization of resources must come from both the public and private sectors. In addition, there is the ability to tightly control the implementation process through legal tools and effective management by the government. "Closely monitoring the implementation process of the plan, ensuring that every step adheres to the principles. In particular, it is impossible to allow spontaneous development, deviating from the goals and directions that have been outlined," Mr. Quoc added.

Ho Chi Minh City's urban railway network is planned with 10 initial routes, not including 2 new routes (Graphic: Khuong Hien).

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