Ho Chi Minh City Celebrates First Metro Line After Years of Delays

Tags: #HoChiMinhCity #MetroOpening #PublicTransport #Vietnam #UrbanDevelopment

A Historic Moment for the City

Ho Chi Minh City celebrated a significant milestone on December 22, 2024, with the opening of its first-ever metro line. The US$1.7 billion line, spanning almost 20 kilometers from the city center, was welcomed by thousands of excited residents, many of whom had waited years for this moment. The metro, packed with selfie-taking passengers, was a symbol of pride for the city, which has faced severe traffic congestion and pollution.

Years of Delays and Frustrations

The metro project, funded mainly by Japanese government loans, was first approved in 2007, with an initial budget of US$668 million. Construction began in 2012, and authorities initially promised the line would be operational in five years. However, the project faced numerous setbacks, including slow capital disbursement, technical issues, and delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the metro opened 17 years later than planned, contributing to frustration for many residents who had hoped for a faster solution to the city’s traffic woes.

Overcoming Challenges

Despite the delays, the city’s deputy mayor, Bui Xuan Cuong, expressed pride in the project’s completion, stating that it would help reduce traffic congestion and environmental pollution. The metro line, with its 14 station stops, is expected to alleviate some of the burden on the city’s roads, although experts caution that its short-term impact on traffic may be limited. Still, it marks a major achievement in the city’s urban development.

A Symbol of Change for the City

For many residents, the metro line is not just a new mode of transportation, but also a symbol of Ho Chi Minh City’s progress. Nguyen Nhu Huyen, an office worker, shared her excitement about the metro’s opening, saying, “Our city is now on par with the other big cities of the world.” For 84-year-old war veteran Vu Thanh, the metro was a positive experience compared to his underground years spent fighting in the Cu Chi tunnels during the war. Reflecting on the delays, he humorously remarked, “We built the tunnels to hide from our enemies in the past, so building a tunnel for a train should not be that hard.”

While the line’s opening is a proud moment, experts note that the lessons learned from this project will help make future metro lines easier, faster, and more cost-efficient to build.