The request was issued after several stations on the Cat Linh - Ha Dong metro line showed signs of deterioration, including an incident at Van Khe station where plaster came loose and fell onto a BRT bus, shattering a window.
Earlier, the Hanoi City People's Committee received a report from the Department of Construction on the incident at Van Khe station on urban railway line 2A, Cat Linh - Ha Dong.
In a directive sent to the Department of Construction and Hanoi Metro Co Ltd, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi City People's Committee Truong Viet Dung ordered the two units to urgently coordinate inspections, reviews and immediate repairs to damaged and deteriorating works items posing potential safety risks on urban railway lines across the city.
Hanoi has ordered a review after plaster from the Cat Linh - Ha Dong metro station fell and smashed a bus window (Photo: Son Nguyen).
The units were told to immediately deal with issues within their authority, while compiling and reporting matters beyond their remit so that the city authorities could promptly consider and direct solutions.
City leaders said inspections and remedial work must be carried out urgently and effectively, ensuring structural safety, operational safety, traffic safety and urban aesthetics.
The incident occurred at about 11.20 am on June 9, when a section of finishing plaster at the Van Khe Station name sign suddenly came loose, fell onto the road and struck a BRT bus travelling below, breaking the vehicle's left-side window.
No one was injured, but the incident raised concerns among passengers and road users about the safety of the structure after years of operation.
Initial inspections found that the area where the station sign was mounted had been finished with a plaster layer about 5cm thick. After more than four years of operation since November 2021, the plaster's bonding and adhesion appeared to have weakened.
In addition, vibrations generated during train operations were believed to be one of the causes of the plaster detaching and falling onto the road below.
Immediately after the incident, Hanoi Metro coordinated with the BRT bus driver to draw up a scene report, while swiftly cordoning off and dealing with the area to limit disruption to traffic.
To prevent similar incidents, the Department of Construction had earlier asked Hanoi Metro to hire an independent consultancy to inspect and conduct an overall assessment of items with similar structures at all stations on the Cat Linh - Ha Dong line.
Based on the inspection results, the operator must develop a thorough remedial plan to ensure structural safety and urban aesthetics. Repairs to damaged items at the site must be completed in July 2026.
At the same time, the Department of Construction proposed that the Hanoi City People's Committee allow immediate repairs to deteriorating items or those posing potential safety risks on the Cat Linh - Ha Dong line and the elevated section of the Nhon - Hanoi station line.
