After years of delay and a quasi-doubly construction costs, a train left, Saturday, Cat Linh station, near the city center, for a first trip of 13 kilometers to the east densely populated .
Le Monde with AFP
It took ten years to complete the Cat Linh-Ha Dong line. Hanoi, which has more than five million mopeds, inaugurated, on Saturday, November 6, its first urban railway line, the authorities striving to reduce traffic and pollution, which weigh more and more about the Vietnamese capital.
After years of delay and a quasi-doubly construction costs, a train left Cat Linh station, near the center of the city, for its first 13-kilometer trip to it densely populated.
Passengers arrived early to take the pose in front of the new glowing train, before young children on board can not watch with wonder by the large windows the Vietnamese capital that scrolled at full speed.
Decongest the traffic
The buzzing agglomeration of nine million inhabitants is known around the world for its dense crowds of mopeds that fill the streets of the city and make the pantry life attempted to cross.
According to the police, the number of two-wheeled roads increased from two million in 2008 to 5.7 million in 2020. The number of cars has also increased from 185,000 to 700,000 during the same period . The inhabitants often remain stuck hours in traffic jams, and rare are the ones who choose to take the bus, only public transport option available so far.
The railway will “decongest the traffic, limit the number of private vehicles, to reduce environmental pollution and contribute to change of trips in cities”, has rejoiced Saturday viewed Hong sound, from the Ministry of Transport.
The construction of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong line has been interrupted several times due to safety and cost spiral problems that increased expenditures at nearly $ 900 million (780,000 million). euros) compared to the initial budget of $ 550 million.
Nine additional lines are planned for Hanoi by 2030.