Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong said the Cat Linh-Ha Dong Railway project will basically be completed this year which should help resolve congestion on Nguyen Trai Street.
Congestion along Cat Linh-Ha Dong rail route
Truong admitted that several construction sites along Nguyen Trai Street were causing problems. In order to help minimise problems the ministry had imposed a management plan to streamline the traffic but drivers rarely follow instructions, he said.
"Hanoi has many construction sites so people must follow all instructions. The traffic is directed to Le Van Luong Street but few people actually follow that route." Truong said. "Congestion along the Cat Linh-Ha Dong route will basically end this year. The underground tunnels and elevated constructions will be completed."
According to Truong, they will be able to complete almost everything but the stations. The ministry will build an overpass to reduce congestion on Hoang Minh Giam Street.
Hanoi authorities and Transport Ministry asked investors in the Nhon-Hanoi Station to speed up their work so that the project may completed in 2017, two years earlier than planned.
In September, Hanoi’s Department of Transport announced a list of 21 construction sites that have been deemed responsible for traffic congestion, including the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro project. Nguyen Trai Street is 20 metres wide but many sections have been reduced to 5 metres due to building work.
The authorities have also threatened to revoke the licences of projects which continue causing severe traffic jams and have proposed to cut the pavement size for traffic.
