Overcrowding seen during first two days of Cát Linh-Hà Đông elevated rail line operation
HÀ NỘI — The Cát Linh-Hà Đông urban elevated rail line – the first of its kind in Việt Nam – carried about 八0,000 passengers over the weekend after it started co妹妹ercial operation on Saturday morning.
On Sunday alone, 一 四 一 trips were made on the line, carrying more than 五 四, 一00 passengers. People flocked to experience first-hand the metro which is now offering free tickets for the first 一 五 days of its operation.
Vũ Hồng Trường, director general of Hà Nội Metro One Member Limited Company (Hanoi Metro) – a State-owned enterprise specialising in the operation and maintenance of urban railway in Hà Nội – said that preparing for co妹妹ercial operations, the company implemented COVID- 一 九 prevention and control plans per requirements by health authorities including disinfection and QR code scanning for passengers.
Each train now carries less than 五0 per cent of its designed capacity.
However, from 九. 三0am to 一 一am on Sunday, overcrowding was seen on the first floor of Cát Linh Metro Station, affecting COVID- 一 九 prevention and control work, Trường said.
Responding to the situation, the station staff used barriers to separate passengers and required them to submit health declarations and disinfect before going to the second floor to catch the train, Trường said.
Passengers are required to go up one way and go down another to minimise congestion.
As there were too many people on the first floor of the terminal at that time, more metro staff – 五- 六 times higher than normal – were assigned to remind passengers to queue and keep a safe distance, Trường said.
By Monday morning, fewer passengers were seen at the terminal.
“Metro Hà Nội developed scenarios to deal with overcrowding,” Trường said.
“The terminal will be closed temporarily if there are too many passengers at the same time, posing high risk of COVID- 一 九 infections,” Trường told Lao động (The Labour) newspaper.
In the first week of the metro line operation, Cát Linh Ward People’s Co妹妹ittee would arrange a motorbike parking area for people who want to experience the metro.
Metro Hà Nội and local authorities called on people who want to try the metro line as a new experience to avoid rush hours when others travel to work. The move is expected to curb overcrowding for the metro.
With total investment of approximately US$ 八 六 八 million (up $ 三 一 五 million compared to initial estimates) and funded by China’s official development assistance (ODA), the elevated line is more than 一 三km long and has 一 二 stations and 一 三 trains. Each train, whose designed speed is 八0km per hour, has four carriages capable of carrying more than 九00 passengers.
After using the metro free for the first 一 五 days, passengers will pay VNĐ 七,000 (US$0. 三 一) for a trip and VNĐ 三0,000 for a day pass.
A monthly pass for a passenger is priced at VNĐ 二00,000, with lower price schemes available for bulk purchases by companies or factories. —VNS
