Ho Chi Minh City celebrated the opening of its first-ever metro line after years of delays, with thousands of selfie-taking residents cramming into train carriages on Sunday. The line, costing $1.7bn and spanning almost 20km, saw huge queues at every station as people in traditional dress, soldiers, and families eagerly awaited their turn to board.
Despite the 17-year journey to completion, with construction delays causing increased congestion and pollution in the bustling city of nine million people, the opening of the metro line was a momentous occasion. Deputy Mayor Bui Xuan Cuong highlighted the project’s importance in meeting the city’s travel needs, reducing traffic congestion, and decreasing environmental pollution.
While some, like war veteran Vu Thanh, found the metro experience to be a positive change from their past underground experiences, others, like Professor Vu Minh Hoang, cautioned that the line’s impact on traffic alleviation may be limited in the short term due to its relatively small number of station stops.
Nevertheless, the metro line’s opening is seen as a historic achievement for Ho Chi Minh City’s urban development. Despite the challenges and delays faced along the way, residents are hopeful that the new metro system will improve their daily commutes and contribute to the city’s continued growth and progress.
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