Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A long-delayed metro rail line for the traffic-clogged Vietnamese capital is now scheduled to start service by the end of 2016, the French embassy said Thursday.
The $1 billion project - funded by France, the European Union and the Asian Development Bank - had previously been expected to be finished by 2015.
Hanoi authorities approved only in April a master plan for the underground section of the link, putting a new timeline in place, Marie-Cecile Tardieu-Smith, the embassy's economic counsellor, told reporters.
"Large efforts are indispensable if we are to avoid new delays and have this pilot line of the metro in service at the end of December 2016 in Hanoi," she said.
"We do not have a lot of time from now until then for a project as complex as this."
Some initial work had begun in 2006 but the project formally started last September with work on the train depot.
About one-third of the 12.5-kilometre (eight-mile) system will be underground, with the rest on elevated tracks.
Vietnamese and French experts said they would begin on Thursday soil testing required before construction of the underground tunnels, which is slated to begin in November next year.
The rapid-transit link, the capital's first, is to connect Hanoi's main railway station in crowded, older Hoan Kiem district with the Tu Liem neighbourhood being developed as a modern business centre in the city's west.
Foreign businesses have repeatedly complained about Vietnam's underdeveloped transportation and other infrastructure.
ltl-it/dr/jah
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments