apanese infrastructure firm Hitachi has secured a JPY37bn ($384m) order from the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to provide electrical and mechanical equipment for the under-construction urban railway Line 1 between Ben Thanh and Suoi Tien in the city.

The project represents the first phase of the Vietnamese government’s plans to build several urban railways in the city to meet the increase in traffic volumes, reduce road traffic congestion and protect the environment.

Under the deal, Hitachi will be responsible for carrying out electrical and mechanical works, track-works and delivery of rolling stock for the first phase of the Ho Chi Minh City Metro network.

Hitachi will deliver 17 three-car trains, signalling systems, telecommunications including wireless train radio, power supplies, platform screen doors, automatic fare collection and depot facilities.”The project represents the first phase of the Vietnamese government’s plans to build several urban railways in the city to meet the increase in traffic volumes, reduce road traffic congestion and protect the environment.”
Construction of the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro rail project started in August 2012 by Sumitomo and Vietnam-based construction firm Cienco 6 under a $2.4bn contract.

Work on the 19.7km metro line will include the construction of a 17.2km elevated section, as well as a 21ha train yard.

Subsequent contracts are scheduled to be offered for a 2.6km underground section of the line.

Line 1 is expected to ease traffic in the Vietnamese city, with scheduled completion in 2017 and operations are expected to start in 2018.

Under a separate agreement, Hitachi will also provide maintenance services for five years after the line starts commercial operations.

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The 19.7km Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien line will run through districts 1, 2, 9, Binh Thanh and Thu Duc in HCM City and parts of Di An district in neighbouring Binh Duong province. Of the total length, 2.6km will run underground with three stations. The remaining sections and another 11 stations will be constructed aboveground. When the line opens in 2016 it will be able to carry 186,000 passengers per day. This figure is expected to triple by 2020 and quintuple by 2040. The city has plans for seven metro lines, including the 19.7km Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien route.