The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a loan of124 million USD to improve the performance and efficiency of publictransport in a high-priority corridor in Ho Chi Minh City, said the bankon June 1.

“Given HCM City’s pivotal role in the nationaleconomy, the project focuses on upgrading a key transport corridor todemonstrate the potential of a sustainable urban transport system,”Arturo Ardila-Gomez, the WB’s project team leader said.

Theproject will finance the construction of a bus rapid transit corridorconnecting An Lac in the southwest and Rach Chiec in the northeast,following the Vo Van Kiet and Mai Chi Tho boulevards, stretching about23 km, with 28 stations.

Once completed, the system will be able to transport up to 28,300 passengers a day.

Its design aims to address the needs of women, children and peoplewith disabilities. Design features include keeping all bus and stationdoors at the same level, making it easier for passengers to board andexit buses and load strollers and other carriers

Additionally,the project will fund at least 28 buses running on natural compressedgas, a clean fuel that helps reduce emissions and pollution.

Bybuilding up the capacity of the city’s existing institutions to handleurban transport regulation, management and operations, the project willpave the way for the eventual establishment of a unified citywide PublicTransport Authority, which will coordinate strategy, services and faresacross all public transport modes.

The project has a total costof 137.45 million USD, including a 124 million USD credit from theInternational Development Association. The remaining investment willbe co-financed by the Vietnamese Government.-VNA