The ongoing construction of Đồng Việt Bridge linking Bắc Giang and Hải Dương provinces. — VNS Photo

BẮC GIANG — The northern province of Bắc Giang will continue to focus on mobilising resources to invest in development of its transportation infrastructure in bid to drive local socio-economic growth from now until 2025, an official has said.

While still prioritising its own budget, Bắc Giang aims to mobilise and attract non-budget capital for transportation infrastructure developments (including State budget funds, ODA, local government bonds, land development funds, etc.).

Along with investment from enterprises it aims to develop transport service infrastructure such as inland ports, bus stations and parking lots, Vice Chairman of the Bắc Giang Provincial People's Committee Lê Ô Pích said.

Bắc Giang will be accelerating the progress of key projects being implemented by the Central Government, the province and localities in Bắc Giang under the 2021-25 public investment plan.

The province will also speed up the preparation and implementation of projects planned for funding from increased revenues earned during the 2021-2025 period to improve the density, scale and quality of transportation infrastructure, to facilitate internal and regional connectivity and support industrial, urban, tourism and national defence.

Bắc Giang will closely coordinate with the Ministry of Transport and other central ministries to proceed with investment procedures for projects such as separating Lục Nam (Cẩm Lý) Bridge at two distances on the Kép - Hạ Long railway line and expanding the Xương Giang Bridge as part of the project to build a number of river-crossing bridges and tunnels on National Highway 1.

Additionally, the province will invest in upgrading national highways and addressing weak bridges, prioritising early investment in the National Highway 37 (Kép - Tư Thân intersection - Cẩm Lý Bridge section) and Ring Road V and completing the construction of a residential bridge over the Hà Nội - Bắc Giang Expressway (in Vân Trung Commune, Việt Yên District), as well as a bridge connecting the southwest urban area to the Bắc Giang City International Logistics Centre.

For provincial roads, Bắc Giang will complete projects such as the road connecting National Highway 37 - National Highway 17 - Võ Nhai (Thái Nguyên Province), Đồng Việt Bridge in Yên Dũng District, the road linking Mỹ An Port - National Highway 31 - National Highway 1, the road connecting Provincial Road 295 to National Highway 37 in Lạng Giang District, Provincial Road 295 from Bến Tuần Bridge to Cao Thượng Township and from Cao Thượng Township to Bỉ Nội Bridge in Tân Yên District, the road from Suối Nứa Lake to Khuôn Thần (Lục Ngạn District), and Đông Sơn Bridge in Yên Thế District.

Bắc Giang will also continue to ask the Ministry of Transport to upgrade railway infrastructure to enhance train speeds and expand freight stations, namely Sen Hồ station in conjunction with the planned Sen Hồ inland port and to construct a road bridge at Cẩm Lý separate from the railway and to renovate Bắc Giang station.

The province will actively support investors in developing inland ports approved by the Ministry of Transport (such as Quang Châu petroleum port, Đồng Sơn general port, Trí Yên, Hòa Phú, Đồng Phúc, and ICD Hương Sơn ports) and focus on completing the Bắc Giang International Logistics Centre, among others.

The total medium-term public investment capital of Bắc Giang for the 2021-25 period is over VNĐ40.6 trillion (about US$1.6 billion), of which over VNĐ9.5 billion is allocated towards 45 transportation infrastructure projects.

Newly constructed, clean roads in Bắc Giang City. — VNS Photo

Bắc Giang City and the districts of Hiệp Hòa, Lạng Giang, Việt Yên and Yên Dũng have numerous large-scale investment projects underway such as the southwest main road from Á Lữ Bridge to the end of Tân Mỹ Commune (Bắc Giang City, costing VNĐ273 billion), the main road in the southwest urban area from Thân Nhân Trung road to National Highway 1A (Bắc Giang City, costing VNĐ189 billion) and the North-South main road in Hiệp Hòa District (costing VNĐ500 billion).

Yên Thế district, which has had fewer large-scale projects in recent years, got money in 2021 for a Class III road from Bố Hạ connecting to Hữu Lũng District, Lạng Sơn Province, with investment reaching over VNĐ260 billion.

Bắc Giang continues to mobilise other funding sources to accelerate the progress of ODA-funded projects such as the Á Lữ Bridge construction in Bắc Giang City (investment of VNĐ257 billion, ADB loan, completed), the LRAMP project component for residential bridges (VNĐ126 billion, WB loan, nearly completed) and underground projects and residential bridges in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in Lục Nam, Lục Ngạn and Sơn Động districts, valued at about VNĐ380 billion, funded by the national target programme for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for 2021-25, central government poverty alleviation support and the sustainable poverty reduction national target programme for Bắc Giang in 2021-25, as well as the new rural development national target program for 2022.

Additionally, the Ministry of Transport has allocated funds to complete the renovation and upgrade of the National Highway 31 section from Bắc Giang City to Chũ Township (Lục Ngạn District) with a total investment of VNĐ870 billion.

Currently, the Ministry of Transport has approved the investment policy for projects such as constructing Cẩm Lý Bridge (on National Highway 37 linking Bắc Giang, Hải Dương, Quảng Ninh, and Hải Phòng provinces) and expanding Xương Giang Bridge (the section passing through Bắc Giang City, on the Hà Nội - Bắc Giang Expressway) using the central budget.

Trần Xuân Đông, Deputy Director of the Bắc Giang Department of Transport, said the province has built many new roads, including provincial and district roads.

"The number of newly planned roads has increased by more than 700 km to a total of over 1,000 km of provincial roads," Đông said.

Nguyễn Đại Lượng, Chairman of the People's Committee of Việt Yên District, said: "We have allocated the most resources within our local public investment funds for transportation infrastructure, with over VNĐ2 trillion ($78.6 million) allocated to projects led by the district. Therefore, most of the basic transportation infrastructure in Việt Yên District has been largely invested according to the plan." — VNS

Đồng Việt Bridge. — VNS Photo