Gov’t leaders attend ground-breaking ceremonies of key transport projects

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (8th from left) at the groundbreaking ceremony of Mai Son - National Highway 45 Section Construction Project under the Eastern North-South Expressway that takes place in Hang Gon Commune, Long Khanh District, Dong Nai Province,, on September 30, 2020 - Photo: VGP

Also the same day, construction began on other two sections, namely Phan Thiet-Dau Giay and Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet, under the presence of Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh and Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung, respectively.

The three sections are among 11 sub-projects of the North-South Expressway scheduled to be implemented between 2017 and 2020.

These three projects, with the total investment capital of VND37,000 billion, are expected to come into operation at the end of 2022.

The Mai Son-National Highway 45 sub-project, 63.37 km long, is designed to have four lanes with the maximum speed of 80 km per hour in the first phase, before being expanded to six lanes with speed limit of 120 km per hour.

The project is estimated to cost a total of VND12,111 billion.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh (6th from left) at the groundbreaking ceremony of Phan Thiet-Dau Giay Section Construction Project under the Eastern North-South Expressway that takes place in on September 30, 2020 - Photo: VGP

Speaking at the event, PM Phuc highlighted the significance of commencing construction of the three sub-projects today, adding that other five sections will be kicked off in October.

Once the three sections completed, the total length of expressways in Viet Nam will reach nearly 2,000 kilometers. The Government chief urged relevant ministries and agencies to soon raise the figure to 5,000 kilometers stretching from the northern province of Lang Son to the southernmost province of Ca Mau.

Earlier, due to negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Assembly approved the Cabinet's proposal to change investment form of the three sub-projects from public-private partnership to public investment, allowing them to be kick-started earlier than the previous plan.

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung (3rd from right) at the groundbreaking ceremony of Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet Section Construction Project under the Eastern North-South Expressway that takes place in the central province of Phan Thiet on September 30, 2020 - Photo: VGP

The North-South Expressway, which is of national priority for investment in the 2017-2020 period, includes 11 sub-projects with a total length of 654km running through 13 provinces and cities.

As earlier planned, three sub-projects would be financed by the state budget and the other eight under the public-private partnership and build-operate-transfer formats.

With the Legislature's recent approval, the expressway project now consists of six projects to be funded by the State budget. The expressway is estimated to cost a total of VND 118 trillion (over US$5 billion).

It was divided into 11 sub-projects: Cao Bo (Nam Dinh) - Bai Vot (Ha Tinh province); Cam Lo (Quang Tri) - La Son (Hue); Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa) - Dau Giay (Dong Nai); My Thuan 2 bridge (Tien Giang and Vinh Long); Cao Bo (Nam Dinh) - Mai Son (Ninh Binh), Cam Lo (Quang Tri) - La Son (Thua Thien - Hue), and My Thuan 2 bridge (Tien Giang to Vinh Long).

Up to now, more than 1,000 kilometers of expressway have been built in Viet Nam, while an addition of 900 kilometers are set to be completed by the end of 2021.

By Thuy Dung