Ho Chi Minh City Plans Over VND26 Trillion for Metro Land Compensation

Ho Chi Minh City plans to allocate over VND26.33 trillion (approximately $1 billion USD) for land compensation, support, and resettlement to construct a 23-km metro line connecting Tan Son Nhat Airport to Phu Huu. The information is part of a feasibility study report for the compensation, support, and resettlement phase of Metro Line 6 (Tan Son Nhat - Phu Huu), submitted by the city's Department of Agriculture and Environment to relevant agencies for appraisal. According to documents from the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board, the project will affect 2,501 households and organizations, with approximately 2,256 cases expected to require full land acquisition. Over 95 hectares of land will be recovered. The total estimated cost for compensation, support, and resettlement is VND26.336 trillion. The 23-km line will be predominantly underground (19 km) with some elevated sections (4 km). It will feature 17 stations, including 13 underground and 4 elevated. The metro will begin at Ba Queo Station (ST01) near the Tan Ky Tan Quy - Truong Chinh intersection, connecting to the Ben Thanh - Tham Luong metro line. It will then go underground through Tan Son Nhat Airport, following Hong Ha and Pham Van Dong streets, crossing the Saigon River, and rejoining Pham Van Dong towards the former Thu Duc district. Near the Vo Nguyen Giap - Ring Road 2 intersection, the line will transition from underground to elevated and split into two branches. One branch will terminate at Phu Huu, while the other will connect to the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway, heading towards Long Thanh Airport. Metro Line 6 is prioritized for investment by Ho Chi Minh City, with construction slated to begin by the end of this year and completion by 2030. If realized, it will extend the city's metro network to 255 km. The Department of Agriculture and Environment has requested relevant agencies to review the route, project boundaries, land status, and related structures to ensure alignment with urban planning. Intersections with other projects also need examination to minimize potential issues. The Department of Finance is tasked with reviewing procedures, funding sources, and the city's capacity to balance its budget. Local authorities will compile statistics on affected cases to form the basis for compensation and resettlement plans. Metro Line 6 is envisioned as an inner ring line, with a planned route from Phu Huu - Ba Queo - Phu Lam Roundabout - Phu Huu. The Tan Son Nhat - Phu Huu section is a crucial part of this, linking the airport to the eastern part of the city. The preliminary total investment for this section is estimated at VND86 trillion, encompassing land acquisition, construction, and equipment costs. Upon completion, it is expected to integrate with the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway, creating a high-capacity transport corridor between Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airports, facilitating passenger transfers and alleviating road traffic. Source: VnExpress