The Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem metro line, which broke ground on 29/4, is the fourth urban railway project to be implemented in Ho Chi Minh City (TP HCM). It follows the operational Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien line and two other lines, Ben Thanh - Tham Luong and Ben Thanh - Can Gio, which are currently underway.
The project is being developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) and build-transfer (BT) contract model. Dai Quang Minh Real Estate Investment Joint Stock Company (Thaco Group) is the investor, with a total capital of nearly 36,744 billion Vietnamese dong (VND), excluding loan interest.
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An artist's impression of the Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem metro line running underground beneath Mai Chi Tho street. _Thaco_ |
The line starts from Ben Thanh station, runs along Ham Nghi street, then crosses the Sai Gon River to Thu Thiem, and follows the Mai Chi Tho axis to its terminal station in Thu Thiem. In addition to Ben Thanh station, the line features 6 underground stations: Ham Nghi, To Huu, Cung Thieu Nhi, Benh Vien Quoc Te, Binh Khanh, and Thu Thiem.
According to the feasibility study report, Ham Nghi station is located near the Ham Nghi - Ton Duc Thang intersection. This station serves as a crucial transition point for the metro line to pass under the riverbed, hence its design as the deepest station with 4 underground levels.
The excavation pit for the station is nearly 33 meters deep, approximately one meter deeper than Ben Thanh station. It utilizes a 1,5 meter thick diaphragm wall system to ensure structural safety in challenging geological conditions.
From Ham Nghi, the line continues its underground journey beneath the Sai Gon Riverbed at a depth of about 41 meters from the water surface, crossing to Thu Thiem before connecting with To Huu station. To Huu station will serve as a future interchange with metro line 7.
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The route alignment for the Ben Thanh - Tham Luong and Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem metro sections. _Khanh Hoang_ |
Subsequent sections run along Mai Chi Tho, passing through Cung Thieu Nhi, Benh Vien Quoc Te, and Binh Khanh stations before reaching the terminal station, Thu Thiem. Thu Thiem station is planned as a hub connecting to the North-South high-speed railway and the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh airport line.
The project employs tunnel boring machine (TBM) technology with two single tunnels, operating with full automation (GoA4). According to Thaco Chairman Tran Ba Duong, this will be TP HCM's deepest metro line, designed to integrate urban development and increase localization rates in construction and equipment manufacturing.
Upon completion in 2030, the Tham Luong - Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem axis will form a radial mass transit line, connecting the northwest, central, and eastern areas of TP HCM. It will also link with Long Thanh airport and the national railway network.
By Giang Anh
