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| A train carriage of the first metro line project in HCMC is placed on a specialized tractor trailer to be transported to the Long Binh Depot. Many consulting services for the metro line have been suspended – PHOTO: NLDO |
HCMC – The consulting unit of HCMC’s first metro line project, NJPT, has announced the suspension of many services for the project from today, July 2, as the city has yet to sign appendix No. 19 of a contract with NJPT.
NJPT has sent the announcement to the Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) of HCMC, the investor of the project. The appendix includes consulting services, training of the metro train drivers and installment of the information technology system, the local media reported.
NJPT has stopped working at the office of the project and exchanging information about the project with the investors and contractors. NJPT’s director and project manager would not sign documents relating to the project from today.
Nevertheless, the consultant will maintain an unofficial information exchange through phone calls or emails.
In 2007, MAUR signed the consulting contract worth more than nine million yen, or nearly VND1.3 trillion at the time, with NJPT. The contract would be conducted in 132 months, divided into five phases: basic design and preparation of bidding dossiers, bidding, design revision and construction supervision, maintenance and maintenance consultancy.
The consulting contract was signed based on the expected progress of the project, which was earlier planned to be completed in 2015.
However, the deadline to complete the project was delayed until the end of this year, resulting in an increase in the workload, so 19 appendices were added. Of the total, 18 appendices have been signed, while the remainder, valued at more than VND1.7 trillion, has yet to be signed.
According to MAUR, it has negotiated with NJPT to sign the appendix for the 31st time since 2017. The slow signing of the appendix has affected the project and NJPT.
In early June, the HCMC government asked MAUR to coordinate with the relevant departments and agencies to accelerate the signing of the appendix.
The first metro line project in HCMC requires an estimated investment of over VND43.7 trillion. The 20-kilometer route runs from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to the Long Binh Depot in Thu Duc City, including three underground stations and 11 elevated stations. The project is over 86% complete.
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