Of this amount, US$1.8 billion will come from ODA sources and the remainder from the State budget.

In its recent proposal submitted to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the HCM City People’s Committee said some US$1.05 billion would be provided by Japanese donors for investment in the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong metro route. Some US$200 million required for the route would be raised from domestic sources.

With regard to the Ben Thanh-Western Bus Station metro system, which needs a total investment of US$880 million, US$750 million would come from Japanese ODA credits and some US$130 million from domestic partners.

The two metro projects are scheduled to kick off in 2009 and to be put into operation by 2015.