A Japanese delegation held a working session with Ho Chi Minh City authorities on June 10 to seek cooperation opportunities with the city on the construction of the main metro station and an underground commercial centre in front of the Ben Thanh market.
Kisaburo Ishii, Deputy Minister of Land, Transport Infrastructure and Tourism and leader of the delegation, told city authorities that the underground complex will be the cynosure marking the development of the city.
Despite the high cost, the project will bring a number of benefits and has high profit prospects, Ishii said, predicting it will take 10 to 11 years for investors to recover their investments.
A model of the project was demonstrated at the meeting.
The Japanese government can consider providing official development assistance (ODA) loans to the underground commercial centre, Ishii added.
If the commercial centre project goes according to plan, the construction of the central underground station may also receive ODA capital, according to the deputy minister.-VNA
(en.vietnamplus.vn 2015年6月10日)