Due to inflation and an improved design which calls for the use of more expensive materials, HCMC’s metro line 2 (that will run from Bến Thành to Tham Lương) may be $784 million more than expected, raising the cost from $1.3 billion to $2.1 billion, according to VN Express.
The increased cost was included in a report to the HCMC People’s Committee by the Ministry of Transport regarding the line’s construction progress.
The report added that construction is 2 years behind schedule as a result of changes to foundation designs and delays in land clearance and infrastructure planning along its route.
This lofty new estimate from the consulting company and the line’s investor will be closely investigated before being put in front of relevant ministries and the Prime Minister for approval.
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Based on this new timeline, at the soonest construction will kick-off in 2016, finished in 2019 and open to the public 2020.
Construction of Saigon's metro line 1 which will run from Bến Thành to Suối Tiên, the first of 6 that will serve the sprawling metropolis, is scheduled to being operations by 2018.
