Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc recently approved the policy to extend Metro Line 2. This decision followed a meeting discussing the line's investment plan. The city prioritizes this extension, and Viet Him Lam Company has proposed to be the investor for the project.

The extension involves two sections of metro lines 2 and 2S, which previously followed the Tham Luong - An Ha - Northwest Urban Area (old Cu Chi) axis. This segment is a continuation of the radial metro line originating from the former Thu Duc City area, passing through Ben Thanh center towards the northwest of Ho Chi Minh City.

National highway 22 at the northwest gateway of Ho Chi Minh City, where metro line 2 is planned to run. *Photo: Quynh Tran*

To enhance regional connectivity, city leaders agreed to extend the line from the Northwest Urban Area along national highway 22 to the Tay Ninh border. The investor is tasked with reviewing the route alignment, station locations, depot, total investment, site clearance, and traffic connectivity in the area.

Along the national highway 22 section, the metro line is planned to be centrally located, with parallel roads on both sides. The city requires all units involved in railway, road, and other infrastructure projects around the line to coordinate from the initial research and design phases. This coordination aims to prevent conflicts during the project's implementation.

Areas with potential for transit-oriented development (TOD) along the route will also be reviewed and updated in the urban plan. City leaders have instructed relevant departments to calculate the necessary budget for compensation, support, resettlement, and site clearance.

To accelerate progress, the investor must complete the feasibility study report in October. This report will then undergo appraisal and be submitted to competent authorities for review. Ho Chi Minh City aims to commence the project in Quarter IV this year, with completion anticipated by 2030.

Ho Chi Minh City's metro network projected by 2030. *Graphic: Khanh Hoang*

Following the expansion of administrative boundaries, Ho Chi Minh City's urban railway network is planned to be over 1,000 km long. Currently, the city operates nearly 20 km of metro line 1 Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien. The goal is to expand the metro network to approximately 255 km by 2030.

Since the beginning of the year, Ho Chi Minh City has commenced or broken ground on three projects: Ben Thanh - Tham Luong, Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem, and Ben Thanh - Can Gio. Besides the metro line under study to connect to Tay Ninh, other projects prioritized for investment include: Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway, Binh Duong New City - Suoi Tien metro, Thu Dau Mot - Tao Dan, and Tan Son Nhat - Phu Huu.

Giang Anh