The Nhon – Hanoi Railway (Metro) is a 12.5 km long urban railway line that runs through 8 elevated stations and 4 underground stations. The elevated section from Nhon to Cau Giay (from S1 to S8 stations) is 8.5 km long, while the underground section from Cau Giay to Hanoi Station (from S9 to S12) is 4 km long.
The project was initiated in September 2010 and faced multiple delays. On August 8, 2024, the elevated section of the Nhon-Hanoi Railway (from S1 to S8) officially commenced commercial operations. However, the underground section (from S9 to S12) has faced further delays.
As of now, the underground section (tunnel and underground stations) has achieved an overall progress of 43.4%. The tunnel and underground stations of the Nhon – Hanoi Railway fall under the CP03 contract package. The main contractor for the CP03 package is the Hyundai & Ghella Joint Venture.
Similar to other ground-level projects, the Nhon – Hanoi Railway faces challenges with land clearance and compensation as residents have not agreed on the compensation rates.
It took over a decade to acquire the necessary land for construction, especially for the underground metro tunnel.
In late July, a significant milestone to accelerate the project’s progress was achieved when the Nhon – Hanoi Railway officially commenced tunnel boring with a pair of TBM machines.
The pair of TBM machines were designed specifically for the Nhon – Hanoi section of the urban railway line 3. FECON Joint Stock Company is the contractor responsible for operating the TBM machines.
Manufactured by Herrenknecht (Germany), the TBM machines are over 100 meters long and weigh approximately 850 tons. As per the plan, the project will start boring from S9 station (Kim Ma), gradually increasing the speed to a standard of 10 meters per day to reach the subsequent stations. The total boring time is expected to be around 16 months. Photo: MRB.
Alongside the tunnel construction using TBM, other components of the underground section, such as the underground slope, garage, and lane change road, are also being implemented.
The areas above the underground stations (from S9 to S12) are currently fenced off on all sides. The prolonged construction time has significantly impacted the daily lives of residents and traffic conditions in the area.
The underground section is expected to be completed by 2027. Subsequently, the entire Nhon – Hanoi urban railway line 3 will be operational. This will provide convenient connections between areas, boost socio-economic development, and contribute to transforming the urban transport landscape of the capital.
