16:51:35 Monday, 23/08/2010

Quang Duy - Investment Newspaper

Recently, People's Committee of HCM City has approved a pilot project construction and exploited two first river bus routes in HCM City of Daily Co., Ltd. Reporter of Investment Newspaper has interviewed Mr. Nguyen Kim Toan, Director of Daily Company about this project.

Mr. Nguyen Kim Toan interview with Vietnam Television VTV9

Could you give some details about two river bus route project of Daily Company?

Under the proposed plan, the two pilot river bus routes including route along the Saigon River from Linh Dong (Thu Duc) to Bach Dang Wharf (District1) and the route along Ben Nghe, Tau Hu canal linked District 8 with Bach Dang Wharf. Both routes are 11 km length. If including the time stops to pick passenger up, we need just 30 minutes to complete the route, only 2/3 of time on the same road bus route.

To operate these two river bus routes, our company must build four multi-function piers and 12 stations for embarkation/ disembarkation ofpassengers.

In the first stage, our company will equip eight ships that load 80 passengers per ship, capable of carrying about 10,000 passengers per day, withVND15,000/ ticket. At first, we will invest 40seat, 60seat and 80seat-ship for both routes. The engine of this type must be imported; hull can be built indomestically or purchased from abroad, depending on conditions about economy & technology.

Why does People's Committee of City select these two routes to pilot?

With route from Linh Dong (Thu Duc) - Bach Dang Wharf (District 1), residents on both sides of river with dense density, distance from the beginningplace to the ending place of road route is not unfavorable & traffic jams. Ben Nghe - Tau Hu route, when building the East-West Avenue, City has decided to exploit tourism transportation by waterway. Therefore, two river bus routes above are suitable for construction of pilot selection.

What are the difficulties of the project, sir?

When building a model of river bus route, waterway infrastructure such as the connection between road and river traffic mostly has not been implemented, the pier system has not been invested & arranged. Our city currently has more than 230 bridges over rivers and canals, in which many bridges have short space clearance.

However, the pilot exploitation for these two river bus routes is very feasible, contributing to solve traffic jams in the city.

Source: http://www.baodautu.vn/portal/public/vir/baivietkinhtedautu/repository/collaboration/sites%20content/live/vir/web%20contents/chude/kinhtedautu/doisongxahoi/9e5bf9c87f000001005c944246854e19