Watchdog demands answers over delayed Hà Nội railway

HÀ NỘI — The Government Inspectorate has instructed authorities in Hà Nội to investigate the city’s Urban Railway Management Board and French consultancy firm SYSTRA over delays to the Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station urban elevated rail project.

The move came after the country’s largest watchdog released the results of its own inspections into the project which were conducted following instructions from Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hoà Bình in May 2017, online newspaper Zing reported.

The project has a total length of 12.5km, with an 8.5km aerial track and a 4km underground track. The initial cost was estimated at US$911 million, but that has risen to $1.3 billion.

The project started in 2006 and was scheduled for completion by 2010.

In March 2007, the Government handed the consulting package to SYSTRA, and the management board and the company signed a contract worth a total of over $11.6 million.

However, the deal has increased in terms of time and money to over $19.7 million.

Government inspectors said the delays were down to both parties, but the management board held the main responsibility.

The board did not have international experts to assess and verify the project’s progress, so they had to hire foreign experts which often resulted in delays and added expense.

It was also SYSTA’s first railway project in Việt Nam, so the company was unaware of Vietnamese regulations, the inspectorate said.

Additionally, the head of the city’s People’s Committee has been ordered to clarify why the consulting costs had risen, and cut them back if necessary. — VNS