Hanoi releases list of underground projects open to investment

The Hanoi People's Council has officially passed a resolution establishing the first list of underground construction projects across the city that are being encouraged for private investment.

The move is a key step in implementing the 2024 Capital Law and aims to modernize the capital’s infrastructure by moving critical systems and facilities below ground.

The resolution prioritizes several categories of development. These include the expansion of the urban railway system, with a focus on underground metro lines, stations, and related facilities. It also calls for construction of underground networks to connect these metro stations with other public works, parkings, and basements of commercial buildings, hotels, and cultural centers.

To address the city's urgent traffic challenges, the resolution encourages investment in road underpasses, underground roadways, and extensive public parkings. Furthermore, the initiative seeks to overhaul the city's technical infrastructure by moving systems for energy, public lighting, telecommunications, water supply, drainage, and waste management underground. The development of new subterranean public service facilities for culture, sports, commerce, and tourism is also a key component of the resolution.

The first phase of the investment list details an ambitious scope of work. For the urban metro system, it includes eight lines with a total length of 320.25 km and 191 stations, of which 81.2 km of track and 68 stations will be built underground.

The list also specifies 85 other infrastructure projects, including five major road underpasses, 78 underground parking lots, and two large-scale underground public complexes. Finally, the initiative targets the relocation of overhead power lines and telecommunication cables into shared underground tunnels along 95 designated city streets.